Marrickville Council has voted to officially oppose the Federal Government’s proposed amendments to the Racial Discrimination Act, taking a stand against racism.
In her Mayoral Minute at Council’s 6th of May meeting, Mayor Jo Haylen urged that Council write to the Attorney General, Senator the Hon. George Brandis QC and the Prime Minister, the Hon. Tony Abbott MP, strongly requesting that the amendments to the Act be stopped and that Section 18C not be removed.
The motion was passed unanimously.
Mayor Jo Haylen said these changes were a huge step back for Australia as a multicultural nation.
“Strong communities like ours are based on respect, where diversity is celebrated and racism is never ok.
“Marrickville is home to residents from 35 different overseas birthplaces, speaking 32 different languages.
“Watering down the protections contained in the existing Act is against Marrickville Council’s core values and those of our diverse community.”
Currently, Section 18C of the Act declares unlawful any public act which ‘is reasonably likely, in all the circumstances, to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate another person or a group of people’, if it ‘is done because of the race, colour or national or ethnic origin’ of the people concerned.
The proposed changes to the bill would take out the words ‘offend’, ‘insult’, ‘humiliate’.
Instead a public act would be unlawful only if it is reasonably likely to ‘vilify’ or ‘intimidate’ a person or group on racial or ethnic grounds.
“These amendments will mean that a person may be as bigoted as they like as long as they’re are only ‘offending’, ‘insulting’ or ‘humiliating’ another person or group of people based on race,” said Mayor Haylen
To sign a petition against the change, visit www.againsthate.com.au
