Gabriel Ng
Menzies · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“Labor stands for equality of opportunity, and at the heart of equality of opportunity is accessible, universal health care. That's why, from 1 July, we'll deliver over $25 billion in additional funding for public hospitals over five years, including $5.8 billion in Victoria alone for places like Box Hill Hospital, which do so much to supp…”
“Since we cut the maximum cost of PBS medicines to $25—and $7.70 for concession card holders—members of our community have saved over $600,000 at the pharmacy counter. Some of these medicines would have cost patients tens of thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs.”
“Happy financial New Year Eve, as everyone says. Every single day, the Albanese Labor government is focused on making things better for hardworking Australians in my community, in Menzies, and right across the country.”
“From tomorrow, the $20,000 instant asset write-off becomes permanent, helping small businesses right across the country with their cash flow. From tomorrow, paid parental leave reaches a full 26 weeks—six months of support for new parents to be shared amongst them, as they see fit.”
“A couple of weeks ago, I joined the Bulleen-Templestowe Basketball Club at their Big Freeze at the B to raise funds to fight MND. Coaches, clubs, volunteers and, yes, even their local federal MP put their hands up for the ice bucket challenge.”
“The good news is that survival rates have dramatically improved, with over 80 per cent of children surviving with treatment. That progress is a direct result of research, funding and the dedication of clinicians and scientists.”
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“It shows that culture is not distant but lived, shared and experienced together. Festivals like this are more than just dates on a calendar. They demonstrate that, while we come from different backgrounds and traditions, we can not only respect but celebrate our differences. That is social cohesion in action, built through inclusion, acceptance and a shared sense of belonging. These celebrations across our electorate reflect a broader strength in our community. This Saturday I attended the United Muslim Migrants Association Mosque Open Day in Doncaster East, which provides an opportunity for the broader community to visit the mosque, learn more about Islam and engage in open and respectful dialogue. It was a welcoming event with generous hospitality and thoughtful conversations.”
“The second part of our $200,000 commitment will deliver the Box Hill Chinese New Year Festival, to be held on 21 February along Bank Street in Box Hill. On that day, the streets will come alive with colour as lanterns and traditional decorations transform the heart of Box Hill into a vibrant showcase of culture and community. It reflects the many communities that call our area home, including Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and others, each sharing their traditions, stories and spirit. Some will come for the food, from Korean kimchi pancakes and Japanese takoyaki to Chinese steamed buns and Vietnamese banh mi. Some will come for the music and traditional dances, drawn to the rhythm and sound that carry through the streets. When we gather like this, it strengthens and shapes the modern Australian story.”
“They are about celebrating culture, building understanding and bringing people together. They are about social cohesion. They reflect the Albanese Labor government's commitment to our multicultural communities and to social cohesion. I want to thank Bihong Wang, Richard Shi, Tim, Sean, Charlie and everyone from the Asian Business Association of Whitehorse for their leadership, dedication and hard work in bringing this festival to life. It was also an important way of supporting our local small businesses. I want to thank the Jackson Court Traders Association for their engagement with the event. Your collaboration and generosity helped create a welcoming and vibrant atmosphere for everyone who attended.”
“Recently in Menzies we held the Manningham Chinese New Year Festival at Jackson Court to welcome the Year of the Fire Horse. It was a wonderful day filled with rides, delicious food, cultural performances and possibly the best lion dance I've ever seen, as well as a fantastic fireworks celebration at night. I want to thank the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Anne Aly, for joining me there. She received a warm welcome from members of my community. We chatted to the stallholders, and we were even gifted some beautiful Chinese calligraphy. This is the first of two events we are delivering as part of our election commitment of $200,000 for local multicultural festivals. Events like this are about more than just having fun and enjoying great food, although there was plenty of that.”
“Those who have already made written submissions, as well as members of the public, may request to appear. I'd encourage organisations and communities in my electorate to do so. You are welcome to get in touch with my office for any details about how to go about that. As I have said before and will say again, the Australian government stands with the Iranian people in their struggle for their democratic and human rights and freedoms. We call on the Iranian regime to stop these brutal, repressive actions against their own people.”
“Last week, we implemented further sanctions against 20 individuals and three entities, including senior officials from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who have been complicit in violently suppressing protests as well as causing destabilisation in the region and further abroad. This comes on top of sanctions already applied to 200 individuals and entities, including 100 linked to the IRGC. Of course, last year we also expelled the Iranian ambassador and other Iranian officials and listed the IRGC as a state sponsor of terrorism. I take this opportunity to say that the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security is currently conducting a review into the listing of the IRGC. It is an important part of the parliamentary process that occurs with the listing of any organisation. Public hearings will be held shortly.”
“The communications blackout has meant the Iranian community has had to rely on social media or, when they can get through, firsthand accounts from their relatives and loved ones. The reports coming out of Iran are truly horrific. Conservative estimates are that the regime has killed several thousand people, but others say it could be 10 times that. I've been told of the regime leaving bodies displayed in piles in the street to act as a warning to dissenters, of families having to search for hours through body bags to find their loved ones and of people injured in the protests who sought help in hospitals only to be executed. That is why I am proud to be part of a government that has taken the strongest action against the Iranian regime of any government to date.”
“This distress has been made all the worse by the regime's blackout of the internet and telecommunications to hide their atrocities and for the uncertainty it brings. As one member of our community, Sarnevaz, put it: Many of us are living with constant fear and distress. We are cut off from reliable news from our families in Iran. We wake up every day not knowing if our loved ones are safe, able to communicate or even alive. This emotional weight does not stay at home. We carry it into our work, our parenting and our daily lives as Australians trying to cope and function while our hearts are elsewhere. We are devastated, exhausted and grieving. Yet we continue to show up, contribute and hold ourselves together.”
“They share with us the richness and beauty of Iranian culture through the Persian Fair at Box Hill and the fire festival in Ruffey Lake Park. Since December last year, when the protests started, I have been in contact with many members of the community and community leaders. As well, I attended a rally on the steps of the Victorian state parliament. I'd particularly like to acknowledge House of Persia and the Australian Iranian Society of Victoria for the support they have been providing to their communities in this deeply distressing time. As you would expect, people's primary fears are for family and loved ones in Iran. But there is also fear for their compatriots and the country they love.”
“I stand today and move this motion to affirm the House's support for the Iranian people in their brave struggle for freedom, democracy and human rights and against the Iranian regime's repression of and brutal violence against its own people. I'd like to acknowledge the members from across the parliament speaking in support of the motion and. in particular, my friend the member for Bennelong, who has long been an advocate for the Iranian people and the Iranian community in his electorate. I'm honoured to represent a strong and proud Iranian community in Melbourne's east, in suburbs around Doncaster, Bulleen and Templestowe, to name a few. They are our friends, our neighbours, our children's classmates, our parents at school pick-up and our small-business owners.”
“I move: That this House: (1) notes that: (a) the human rights situation in Iran remains of grave concern, including reports of the Iranian regime engaging in repression, violence against protestors, arbitrary arrests and communications blackouts; (b) many members of the Iranian Australian community are deeply distressed by the actions of the Iranian regime; and (c) the Australian Government condemns the actions of the Iranian regime and affirms Australia's support for the people of Iran in their struggle for freedom, democracy and human rights; (2) recognises that: (a) the Australian Government has taken strong action to hold those responsible for human rights abuses in Iran to account, including targeted sanctions on more than 200 Iranian individuals and entities and more than 100 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) linked individuals and entities, as well as listing the IRGC as a state sponsor of terrorism; (b) the Australian Government's most recent sanctions target senior officials and entities linked to the IRGC complicit in oppressing the Iranian people, violently suppressing domestic protests, and threatening lives both inside and outside Iran; and (c) Australia has taken significant diplomatic steps, including: (i) the expulsion of the Iranian Ambassador; and (ii) leadership in international efforts to hold Iran accountable through the United Nations; and (3) affirms its: (a) solidarity with the people of Iran; and (b) ongoing commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights and democratic freedoms.”
“It's so important that we recognise their hard work and the vital role that TIS plays in providing these services, because, without them, many people would be disenfranchised from the economic and cultural opportunities that come from being able to fully understand the language and the matters that they need to, to engage with government, engage with health care and engage with legal services. I commend this bill to the House.”
“It is also staffed by highly skilled interpreters, accredited at different levels, who are able to interpret a wide range of areas, from the everyday to the highly technical health and legal areas. When I was a public servant with the Department of Home Affairs, I was proud to be a CPSU union delegate. Towards the end of my time there, after the Albanese Labor government came to power, the then minister for home affairs, Clare O'Neil, came to announce that jobs in TIS that had been outsourced—jobs where people were working on insecure contracts—would be brought in-house. Dozens of people were given secure public service jobs, giving them certainty about their future and the ability to have a career path within the department.”
“We want to bring Australians together and maintain social cohesion, and that is exactly what we are doing with this bill. This bill creates a strong legislative framework to underpin TIS. It follows advice from the Australian Government Solicitor that says TIS National requires express legislative authority. It also considers the findings of the robodebt royal commission. We understand the importance of having proper legal foundations for government action. We also respect the advice of our independent public servants and legal counsel, unlike those opposite. TIS is staffed by dedicated public servants who connect people who need interpreting services with the language experts they need—accurately, quickly and professionally.”
“This weekend, our local mosque, the United Muslim Migrants Association, will be having an open day for all members of the community to come and learn about Islam. I attended last year, when our local religious leaders welcomed people in and gave as much of their time as was needed to answer any questions people might have had. Sometimes these questions would have been challenging for them. Sometimes the questions relied on very outdated stereotypes and misinformation. But the Muslim leaders answered them with perfect graciousness and patience. That is what we need in our communities—not division, but building understanding, dispelling misinformation and reaching over cultural divides. We stand with all Australians, embracing people of all faiths and backgrounds—Chinese, Indian, Jewish, Muslim.”
“Now, of course, we know that the evidence points to the two men who carried out the horrific antisemitic terrorist attack in Bondi being motivated by an adherence to Islamic State, a perverted form of Islam. But the idea that the 813,000 Australian Muslims should be held collectively responsible for the actions of two men who perverted their faith is, to be frank, offensive. It would be like saying: 'All Australians should be held collectively responsible for the actions of the person who carried out the Christchurch massacre.' They should not be, and they are not. Islam is a religion of peace. It was put to me perfectly by one of our local Muslim leaders: the actions of Ahmed Al Ahmed, one of the heroes of Bondi, better represent the values of Islam than the actions of the two men who carried out the atrocity at Bondi.”
“After the election, their former attorney-general George Brandis said that they were 'running out of people to offend'. Well, they found some more. Another one of their senators accused Indian Australians of voting as a monolith and used her platform to spread disinformation about our migration system. More recently, at a time when we have been focused on eliminating antisemitism and maintaining social cohesion, former prime minister Scott Morrison, backed in by Liberal frontbencher Andrew Bragg, called for all Muslim religious leaders to have to register and be accredited by the government—this, from the party that apparently stands for individual rights and small government.”
“This has become a real highlight not just of our local cultural calendar but of Melbourne's cultural calendar, and it now attracts over 100,000 people per year. Growing up in Melbourne's east, we always had to go into the city to celebrate Chinese New Year, so it means a lot to me that we can have these cultural celebrations in our local area and with our local community. The sharing of culture and fostering of understanding is so important to maintaining social cohesion. I contrast this approach of bringing people together, which we are committed to, with the divisive approach of those opposite. We have not forgotten that, during the election campaign, one of their senators—the campaign spokesperson no less—accused Chinese Australians who were getting involved in the democratic process of being Chinese spies.”
“In my electorate of Menzies, we are demonstrating our commitment to multiculturalism and social cohesion with a $200,000 commitment to multicultural festivals run by the very hardworking Asian Business Association of Whitehorse, who represent a number of small businesses as well as medium-sized businesses in my electorate. This includes the Manningham Chinese New Year Festival, which will take place this Saturday, 7 February, at Doncaster Reserve. This is the second year the festival will be held, and our support means more people in our community can celebrate and experience Chinese culture. There will be food stalls, rides and cultural performances. Then on 21 February we'll have the Box Hill Chinese New Year Festival.”
“Like many of us here, I attended a citizenship ceremony on Australia Day, at Manningham Council. As always, it was one of the most uplifting parts of the job, seeing the happiness and the pride of all the new citizens fully joining our great nation and being able to share that special day with them. On Australia Day, I also attended an event in my electorate, in Box Hill, held by the Federation of Chinese Associations (Vic). It was a wonderful reflection of modern multicultural Australia, a celebration of both our national day and Chinese New Year. Those in attendance enjoyed a traditional welcome to country and musical performances from Indigenous Australians as well as traditional Chinese performances, such as a face-changing performance.”
“We're talking about highly technical areas sometimes—health, law, government services—that people who even speak English as a first language struggle with and that can be very difficult to understand if your native tongue is not English. TIS ensures that all Australians can communicate with each other and provides equal access and participation. TIS has existed in one form or another since World War II. It fosters understanding, community and engagement. It is an essential pillar of social cohesion. Our tabling of this bill reflects this government's commitment to social cohesion. We are one of the most successful multicultural countries in the world. Nowhere is this more evident than at our local citizenship ceremonies, at which many of us have the honour to represent the parliament in our elected roles.”
“A large number of those clients came seeking support for family violence issues and property issues, and the only way they were able to communicate their problems and receive advice from the lawyers there was through TIS. There might be some people who say that people immigrating to Australia should learn English. Of course, this is something that we not only encourage but also support people to do. Most skilled and student visas have a requirement that people pass a test demonstrating a high level of English, and we have the Adult Migrant English Program, which provides free English language tuition to people with migrant and refugee backgrounds. But you don't need to speak perfect English in order to be a proud and fully participating Australian.”
“Imagine if you were accused of a crime but had no way of understanding the proceedings. Imagine if you were pursuing civil relief but were unable to understand the complex legal procedures that were happening and that would determine whether or not you get compensation for, say, a personal injury matter or damage to your property. I saw firsthand the work of highly skilled TIS interpreters who were able to provide professional and accurate interpretation so that all of those involved in the legal process—judges, lawyers, plaintiffs, defendants, victims and the accused—could participate equally. I also saw the work of TIS when I was volunteering at community legal centres. We had many clients from migrant and refugee backgrounds come in seeking free legal advice when I volunteered at the Fitzroy Legal Service.”
“Without this, people would suffer and illnesses and diseases would worsen. Where health professionals did not offer or accede to requests to use an interpreter, sometimes the children of clients would have to act as interpreters—sometimes for very sensitive matters. I believe we've had a few members of the chamber talk about how this becomes a necessity sometimes, but, thankfully, TIS is there and is a much better service in terms of being able to preserve the privacy and dignity of people, particularly when they're accessing health services. I also saw the essential work of TIS when I was working as a judge's associate at the County Court. Imagine if you were a victim of crime and had to give evidence before a court but could not understand, let alone respond to, the questions that were put to you.”
“Of course, government departments and other public institutions are major clients but so are other essential services. When I worked in refugee and migrant settlement services, we ensured that new arrivals were aware that they could request an interpreter. Let me give you a couple of examples of how vital this is. Imagine going to a hospital or GP and being unable to communicate what your symptoms are. Imagine if a doctor was giving you advice, advice that might preserve your health or even save your life, and you could not understand them. Thankfully, the TIS Doctors Priority Line is available to GPs, specialists, nurse practitioners, endorsed midwives, pharmacy staff and approved health practitioners. This means they can provide all Australians with the care they need when they need it.”
“We have established Greek and Italian communities and emerging Indian communities—people from almost every country on earth. It's an incredibly diverse community, and I'm honoured to represent it. I have had extensive experience with TIS, particularly when I worked with the then Department of Immigration and Citizenship and later the Department of Home Affairs. In some roles, it was a service I used almost every day. For those who haven't used it, you can call TIS on 131450, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to request an interpreter. You can also book interpreters in advance. Hopefully, everyone in this place knows that our offices have access to TIS client numbers, and we can use them to make sure that we are reaching out to all members of the communities we represent.”
“I rise today in support of the Translating and Interpreting Services Bill 2025. The Translating and Interpreting Service, or TIS National, is an absolutely essential service that ensures that all Australians can fully participate in our civil life, our communities and our economy. It allows Australians from diverse backgrounds equal access to public institutions and services, and it allows the private sector to reach new domestic markets. TIS is an indispensable piece of infrastructure for modern, multicultural Australia. The last census showed that over 5.5 million Australians speak a language other than English at home. In my electorate of Menzies, we're fortunate enough to have the proportionally largest Chinese Australian population of any electorate across the country. We have the largest Iranian population.”
“Now, there aren't many people that can get me to put on a bra in public, but, when the Pink Ladies called me up to the stage and presented me with a bra embroidered with my initials in diamantes, how could I refuse? It's always an honour to support my community, and I certainly felt well supported too! I'm also glad to hear that the Pink Ladies are getting the recognition they so richly deserve. They were honoured at the Pink Test in Sydney and were even invited to dinner at Admiralty House by the Governor-General. Her Excellency clearly has great taste in fine dinner companions. Congratulations again to the Warrandyte Pink Ladies.”
“I rise today to acknowledge the amazing work of the Warrandyte Pink Ladies—Katie, Sandra and Nicole. Every year for the past five years, the Warrandyte Pink Ladies have been bringing our community together to raise funds for the McGrath Foundation and awareness of cancer, and, every year, their efforts get bigger and bigger. This year, they have raised over $200,000 for care nurses for people experiencing cancer. But what's truly extraordinary is the way that they're able to get more and more of our local businesses and organisations involved in the Pink Up Warrandyte campaign, from our local pub, the Grand Hotel Warrandyte, to the Donvale Bowls Club. Last Saturday I had the privilege of joining the ladies at Pink Stumps Day at the Warrandyte sports club, where over 160 people attended and over $15,000 was raised.”
“May they serve as an example to all of us here to be brave and loving and to stand together against hate. In closing, I would like to again offer my condolences to those affected by this attack, particularly in the Jewish community. We stand with you. We hear you. We honour the memory of those lost, and we commit to action so that atrocities like this never happen again. I commend this motion to the House.”
“Our government is committed to action and to ensuring that the Jewish Australian community are safe and protected; that we come together as a country and that, out of this atrocity, our nation is not weakened but strengthened; that we can restore trust, reinforce social cohesion and send a clear message that antisemitism, hatred and extremism have no place in our country. In the Bondi terrorist attacks we saw the worst of humanity, but we also saw the very best of those who would call Australia home. We saw it in those who engaged in astonishing acts of heroism: Boris and Sofia Gurman, Ahmed al-Ahmed, Reuven Morrison, Jessica Rosen and many other everyday Australians; in the lifeguards, police and other first responders, who ran towards danger; in the paramedics and health workers who tended the wounded and saved lives.”
“That is why this attack was not just an attack on our Jewish community but an attack on the fabric of our nation. I'd like to thank the Jewish community leaders and members of our Jewish community in my electorate of Menzies for taking the time to share your experiences with me, and particularly during a period of grief and mourning. I understand that this has not just been an attack on your community and faith but that the losses you have suffered have been personal—that some of those killed in Bondi were friends and loved ones. I understand that this has been a deeply traumatic time and that there are those in the community who are angry. I say to all Jewish Australians: know that you are a cherished part of our country and community.”
“The member for Isaacs sharing a Jewish prayer with the parliament was a moving reminder of the promise of our modern multicultural society. The member for Macarthur highlighted the long and significant contribution of Jewish Australians to our country. The terrorist attack in Bondi was made all the more egregious by the fact that it occurred on one of our most iconic beaches on the first day of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights. As the member for Macnamara shared, Chanukah by the Sea was an event that brought ancient tradition to modern Australia and opened it to the wider community. That people can come here and continue to freely practice their faith and share their culture is at the very heart of what it means to be Australian.”
“I acknowledge, too, all those who have been affected by this atrocity, particularly in the Australian Jewish community—those who are wounded, those who have been traumatised and those who have lost their sense of safety and security. We have returned to parliament early to show our unity and solidarity with the loved ones of the victims and the Australian Jewish community. I thank all those across the parliament who have expressed their condolences and support. I'd particularly like to acknowledge our Jewish parliamentarians—the member for Isaacs, the member for Macnamara, the member for Berowra and the member for Macarthur—for their contributions and for the grace and courage they have shown at such a difficult time.”
“On behalf of my electorate of Menzies, I stand today to recognise the 15 innocent Australians who were murdered in the horrific antisemitic terrorist attack in Bondi on 14 December 2025. We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims. To those who have lost a child, a parent, a sibling, a grandchild or a grandparent, a partner, a friend, a rabbi: I cannot begin to understand, let alone express, the grief and loss you must be feeling. I can only say that we stand with you, we grieve with you and we commit to uphold the safety of the Australian Jewish community and all Australians.”
“I was very happy to celebrate with her and her team the 15 per cent pay rise that will come into place on 1 December, delivered by the Albanese Labor government. For too long, our early childhood educators have not been properly compensated, and it was wonderful to see them recognised for the essential and skilled work that they do. When we arrived at the childcare centre, we found a small whiteboard with some questions three- and four-year-olds had prepared beforehand. Two that stood out were, 'How did you become an important person?' and 'How do you grow more bones?' I'd like to thank all the young people and children in Menzies for your engagement and curiosity. You are our future, and our future is in good hands.”
“Some went right to the heart of why we are here, like, 'If you could change one thing about Australia, what would it be?' Others went to how our democracy works, but I was also asked probing questions like: 'What is your favourite colour?' 'What brand of microwave do you have?' 'Can you share your salary with me?' I even visited some of my youngest constituents, at Creative Play Early Learning Centre in Bulleen, with Minister for Early Childhood Education and Minister for Youth Jess Walsh. I'd like to thank the minister for coming out to Menzies to visit these young constituents. There I met with the director, Georgina, a passionate childhood educator who has been working in the industry for over 25 years.”
“I also had the privilege of hosting a youth roundtable in partnership with the Centre for Multicultural Youth and the Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network, together with my good friend the member for Deakin. I would like to sincerely thank Carmel, from the Centre for Multicultural Youth, and Rana, from the Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network, for their commitment and tireless work in the multicultural youth space. Now, I'm sure that, like a lot of my fellow parliamentarians, if I had to do a media appearance, I would anticipate some of the questions and prepare accordingly. But there is no preparing for the questions a group of year fives will throw at us.”
“I rise today to speak about the extraordinary young people in Menzies. Over the past few weeks, I've been very fortunate to visit some of our local secondary and primary schools and even childcare centres as well as to host some young activists in my office. I'd like to thank the Minister for Education, Jason Clare, for visiting Box Hill High School with me and speaking with some of the school leaders from years 8 to 11. These young people had a particular interest in our under-16 social media ban and the implications of artificial intelligence. I was particularly impressed by how articulate and informed these students were and by how nuanced their views were on these complex issues.”
“As much as we would like to believe that the arc of justice bends towards history, this is not something we can take for granted. Anti-immigration rallies organised by neo-Nazis have been held in our major cities; foreign narratives and conspiracy theories spread on social media erode our trust in democracy; and conflicts abroad have tested our social cohesion here. The Labor Party will always stand up for modern multicultural Australia. We are the party that enacted the Racial Discrimination Act, we are the party that acted to address apartheid and we are the party that will always back modern multicultural Australia.”
“In 1995 the Racial Discrimination Act was strengthened by the Keating Labor government, following a number of inquiries into racist violence in Australia as well as in response to a recommendation of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. One of the more debated amendments to the act is section 18C, which provides that 'it is unlawful for a person to do an act, otherwise than in private, if the act is reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate another person or a group of people' due to their race. Now, there are some in this place, some on the opposite side, who believe that people have a right to be bigots. That is something we in the Labor Party will never support. The Racial Discrimination Act is more important than ever.”
“I was proud to advocate and secure an election commitment of $150,000 to support the Box Hill Chinese New Year Festival. We will also be holding the inaugural Manningham Chinese New Year Festival. It was held for the first time last year and was a huge success. I'm looking forward to seeing it back in the northern part of my electorate next year and seeing how it benefits our local traders around Jackson Court and in Doncaster East. We have been able to support that as well with a federal election commitment of $50,000. Both of those events are run by the Asian Business Association of Whitehorse. We're very active in our community in running these local festivals and advocating for small businesses.”
“On the weekend just past, I was lucky to attend the Persian Fair at Box Hill Town Hall, which was organised by the House of Persia and the Australian Iranian Society of Victoria. I was fortunate to be able to watch their amazing performances with dancing and music. The food was really incredible as well, and I was very grateful to the community for being so welcoming but also for providing the opportunity for members of the wider community to experience the richness and the colour of Iranian culture. Next year we will have the Box Hill Chinese New Year Festival, which is one of the highlights of our local calendar and one of the biggest Chinese New Year festivals in Melbourne. It attracts over 100,000 people, and it's a real staple of our calendar.”
“I'm lucky enough to visit a lot of schools around my electorate, and I know that they all have strong antiracism strategies so that all the children from diverse backgrounds should, as much as possible, feel safe attending school, knowing that they won't face racism or discrimination. Menzies has a higher-than-average proportion of people born overseas and a higher-than-average proportion of people who speak a language other than English at home, and it's really important that all of our services, especially those that support young people, are sending that message that racism is not acceptable under any circumstances. We also have some great local festivals that play an important role in building bridges and celebrating and sharing cultures in our local community.”
“We have the Migrant Information Centre in Box Hill, which supports migrants and refugees to settle in the community, links them with essential services, informs them of their rights and their responsibilities as members of the community, and holds a number of functions reaching out to the broader community. We have AMES, who deliver the Adult Migrant English Program to ensure that recent migrants have a level of English that allows them to communicate with businesses and employers and helps them settle successfully in Australia. But our local schools, kindergartens, childcare centres and businesses all play a role in combatting racism.”
“The most common type of complaint received are those related to discrimination in the provision of goods and services, followed by discrimination in employment. The AHRC also play a vital role in educating the community about their obligations under the act as well as implementing the national antiracism strategy, commissioned by the Albanese Labor government in 2022. It is not just the AHRC that plays that vital role of combatting racism within society. There are also many organisations within my electorate of Menzies that play this vital role.”
“Section 10 of the act, which provides for rights and equality before the law, influenced the decision in Mabo v Queensland (No. 1) to invalidate legislation which would have retrospectively abolished native title rights. Of course, the subsequent decision in Mabo (No. 2) rejected the fiction of terra nullius in Australian law. But most importantly the act made clear to the community, to employers, to businesses and to services that they must treat people the same, regardless of race, and that, where this doesn't occur, there will be consequences. Vital to the administration of the act is the Australian Human Rights Commission, who are responsible for receiving complaints and attempting to mediate them.”
“This means that when someone goes to purchase a product in a store or to visit a restaurant or tries to access services like their local GP they must be treated the same, regardless of their race, ethnicity or national background. When someone applies for a job or a promotion or asks for leave, they will not face discrimination, under the provisions of this act. But the act goes further, preventing indirect discrimination, where a person requires another to comply with a term or condition that is not reasonable and that requirement is discriminatory. It goes to that fundamental principle of the rule of law—that all people are equal under the law. Not surprisingly, the act has a significant legacy. It influenced the states and territories to legislate their own antidiscrimination laws.”
“The coalition's shadow Attorney-General, on speaking in the second reading debate, stated—with a myopia that mirrors that of the current federal Liberal Party—that 'we in Australia have been singularly free of racial discrimination'. Sadly, that wasn't true then and it isn't true now. There is still racism of both the overt and the covert kind. The Racial Discrimination Act is just one tool to combat it, but it is a crucial one. Going to the specifics of the act, it includes a general provision making racial discrimination unlawful as well as specific protections to prevent discrimination in areas including employment, the provision of goods, housing and access to public places.”
“And, like other important Labor government reforms, it has required us to show that same effort and commitment to principle to protect it from attacks from the coalition to weaken and undermine it. The act codified into Australian law our international obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, ratified in September 1975 by Australia. It showed a commitment to international law, to our international obligations to being responsible members of the international community that continues to this day. The act made racial discrimination unlawful in Australia through federal legislation. This historic legislation came only two years after the Whitlam government abolished the final vestiges of the White Australia policy.”