Extremism
Sarah MANSFIELD (Western Victoria) (12:11): (552) My question is for the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. In 2022 the Greens initiated an inquiry into the rise of far-right extremism in Victoria, responding to the concerning rise of neo-Nazi gatherings and threats to Victoria’s multicultural fabric by these far-right actors. The inquiry at the time was opposed by the Liberals and Nationals, despite these growing threats, and we appreciated the support of the government to begin the inquiry. The inquiry found that far-right extremists were exploiting people’s fears and anxieties during the pandemic and were becoming more organised and would use online forums to recruit people. It made several recommendations to counter the threat of far-right extremists, which were accepted by the government, including social cohesion and anti-racism initiatives. Minister, can you detail what specific activities were funded in the latest budget that implement the inquiry’s recommendations?
The PRESIDENT: Can I just check, Minister, did you hear the question?
Ingrid Stitt: It was quite difficult to hear.
The PRESIDENT: Dr Mansfield, could you repeat just the last bit?
Sarah MANSFIELD: Certainly. Minister, can you detail what specific activities were funded in the latest budget that implement the inquiry’s recommendations?
Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (12:13): I thank Dr Mansfield for her question. It is an important issue. The inquiry predated my time in this portfolio. I am happy to get you some more details about each of the specific recommendations, but if my memory serves me correctly I think it was across a whole-of-government kind of lens that we were looking at a number of the recommendations. I know that, for example, for some of the recommendations the responsibility sat within the Attorney’s department and others. I am happy to provide a little bit more detail and take that part of the question on notice.
In relation to the multicultural affairs portfolio and the budget outcomes this year, we have obviously got some important social cohesion initiatives. Frankly, we are at a time across the community where our social cohesion has never been more fragile, and so it is important that we redouble our efforts in terms of making sure that communities not only feel safe but feel well supported to be able to get that support in understanding their rights and indeed responsibilities when it comes to anti-discrimination. There was provision in the budget – $4 million – for us to continue important work in this regard. Under a previous minister, Minister Spence, the Anti-Racism Taskforce was established. That group will be reconvening very soon to finalise the anti-racism whole-of-government strategy, and the funding that we have received through this year’s budget will go to some of the priority recommendations within that strategy, which we hope to be able to launch later this year. That is important work. We have also obviously provided support to communities across our Muslim community organisations and to the Jewish community and Palestinian community to support what we see as the very concerning rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia. Those initiatives were as a result of an election commitment to the tune of $6 million.
There are other portfolios that provide important support as well, including the education portfolio. I talked a little bit about the homework club yesterday as part of the African communities action plan, and there is certainly provision for funding within the health department as well that goes to support for newly arrived communities and refugees and asylum seekers.
Sarah MANSFIELD (Western Victoria) (12:16): I thank the minister for her response. Minister, during PAEC you said that the anti-racism strategy that you have just referenced would be released by the end of the year, but the community is in need of a government response quite urgently. For example, within the last six months we have had neo-Nazis who felt emboldened to walk through the streets of Ballarat and spew racial hate speech. Surely the strategy needs to be released urgently and the government needs to act now. So, Minister, will you release Victoria’s anti-racism strategy within the next three months?
Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (12:16): It is certainly my intention to make sure that we complete that work and release the strategy as soon as possible, but I do not want to pre-empt the important work of the taskforce. They have been through this journey for some time. The taskforce and the work that they have been pulling together has been complemented by a lot of community consultation, so I am loath to put a specific timeframe on the work, other than to agree with you that I believe that it is a priority. But that is separate and distinct to work that the Attorney is leading on anti-vilification measures. I think we have talked about that quite a bit and the Attorney has answered a number of questions in this place in relation to that body of work. That is over and above the $4.4 million in the multicultural affairs portfolio.