Tuesday, 3 October 2023

Anti-vilification legislation

Dylan WIGHT (Tarneit) (13:03): Last week I had the pleasure of joining our Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes for a round table with our local Muslim community leaders in Tarneit to talk about strengthening anti-vilification laws in Victoria, a commitment that we made during the 2022 election campaign, because we know that the best laws that are made not just in this state but in this country are guided through community consultation and indeed lived experiences. Through my time representing Tarneit I have heard countless stories from community members about their experiences of racism and Islamophobia, in particular from female members of that community. This sort of behaviour is absolutely abhorrent. It is disgusting, and there is absolutely no place for it in our community in Victoria. Our government recognises the importance of community leadership when it comes to tackling this issue, so that is why I would like to thank everybody who came and spoke with both me and the Attorney-General. Your input is absolutely invaluable, and your lived experiences will guide this legislative change. Thank you also to the Attorney-General for joining me, and I look forward to continuing to work with you and the Tarneit community towards this goal.