Premier

Victorian Submission To Support Racial Discrimination Act

24 November 2016

The Andrews Labor Government will fight any proposed changes to Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.

In response to the federal inquiry launched on November 8, the Government will make a submission outlining its continued support for Section 18C, which protects vulnerable people against bigotry and hate speech.

The submission will emphasise:

  • the on-going contribution of multicultural communities to Victoria
  • the need to protect individuals and communities from racial vilification
  • support for the complaints-handling procedures of the Australian Human Rights Commission

Any threat to repeal or weaken the wording of Section 18C, which deems it unlawful to “offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate” based on a person’s race or ethnicity, must be challenged.

All Victorians – regardless of where they come from, the language they speak or their religion – deserve strong legislative protections.

In May 2014, then Multicultural Affairs Minister Matthew Guy said: “There should be no changes to the Federal Racial Discrimination Act and we’ll be very, very clear in our submission to say so.”

Like the previous state Liberal Government, we support the Act as it stands - and will continue to do so.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Multicultural Affairs Robin Scott

“Discrimination is never acceptable, and people have the right to be accepted for who they are.”

“This Government was elected to make people’s lives better and build a state that is stronger and fairer.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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