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Motion · 17 September 2025

Multiculturalism, anti-racism and anti-discrimination frameworks

In short

Proposed
Michael Pettersson brought this motion on 17 September 2025.
Changed
1 change proposed by Leanne Castley; 0 agreed.
Decided
Agreed. No individual votes were recorded, so this doesn't show who supported it.
  1. What was proposedMichael PetterssonLabor · Minister
    Read the original wording (450 words)

    That this Assembly: (1) notes that: (a) on Sunday, 31 August 2025, anti-immigration rallies were held in Canberra and across Australia. The rallies were used to promote messages of racism, discrimination, Islamophobia and antisemitism; (b) these rallies were not an isolated event, but were a visible demonstration of the re-emergence of extremist ideologies that threaten the fabric of Australian society, one which the vast majority of the Canberra community rejects; (c) demonstrations of other acts of extreme hatred, discrimination and blatant racism have been seen in Canberra for some time now, including attacks on religious temples and the propagation of racist material in our suburbs; (d) these acts leave our multicultural community feeling unsafe in a way that no Canberran ever should; and (e) vulnerable cohorts of people may be more susceptible to extremist views and, as a community, we must actively promote the positive benefits of diversity and inclusion and prevent people from being coerced into these harmful and radical belief systems; (2) acknowledges: (a) the importance of multiculturalism, and the significant value Canberra’s growing cultural and linguistic diversity contributes to the city and community; (b) that the overwhelming majority of Canberrans reject extremist ideologies, and reject acts of fear and exclusion, including any acts of discrimination, racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia and antisemitism; (c) that Canberra is recognised under the Welcoming Australia Network with Advanced Accreditation and that Canberra is a Refugee Welcome Zone, both of which demonstrate the Government’s commitment to welcoming refugees, asylum seekers, and promoting and celebrating inclusion, diversity, and social cohesion; and (d) the Government’s commitment to continue to work closely with people who may be vulnerable to extremist views, including undertaking early intervention and prevention activities to steer them away from radicalisation and harmful behaviour; (3) requests that the Standing Committee on Social Policy undertake an inquiry into the re-emergence and rising prevalence of extremist political ideologies and belief systems in the ACT. The inquiry should consider potential recommendations on actions to help prevent and intervene early in the radicalisation of vulnerable cohorts in our community; and (4) calls on: (a) all Members of the Legislative Assembly to publicly re-affirm their support of Canberra’s multicultural community and condemn the anti-immigrant sentiment expressed in the rallies held in Canberra on 31 August 2025; (b) the ACT Government to work with the Commonwealth Government to continue to strengthen anti-racism and anti-discrimination frameworks and, subject to the findings of the above inquiry, consider developing an anti- racism strategy; and (c) the Minister for Multicultural Affairs to provide an update to the Assembly by May 2026 on progress made against recommendations of the racial vilification inquiry of the Tenth Assembly, since its response to that inquiry was provided in March 2023.

  2. Proposed changeLeanne CastleyLiberal · Opposition17 September 2025

    Grouped by key words as: changed the background.

    The exact wording of this change

    together: 1. After paragraph (1)(a), insert: “(b) on 3 August 2025, marches were organised by Palestine Action where placards including pictures of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei holding an assault weapon were shown, flags for Hamas and Al-Qaeda were flown and protestors chanted “death, death to the IDF” and “long live the Intifada;”. 2. In paragraph (4)(a), after “2025”, insert: “and any politically-motivated violence”. Ordered—That the question be divided. Debate continued.

    Not agreed on the voices. No individual votes were recorded.

  3. What the Assembly decidedAgreed

    Decided on the voices: no individual votes were recorded, so this doesn’t show that every MLA agreed.

    Final agreed wording

    That this Assembly: (1) notes that: (a) on Sunday 31 August 2025, anti-immigration rallies were held in Canberra and across Australia. The rallies were used to promote messages of racism, discrimination, Islamophobia and antisemitism; (b) these rallies were not an isolated event, but were a visible demonstration of the re-emergence of extremist ideologies that threaten the fabric of Australian society, one which the vast majority of the Canberra community rejects; (c) demonstrations of other acts of extreme hatred, discrimination and blatant racism have been seen in Canberra for some time now, including attacks on religious temples and the propagation of racist material in our suburbs; (d) these acts leave our multicultural community feeling unsafe in a way that no Canberran ever should; and (e) vulnerable cohorts of people may be more susceptible to extremist views and, as a community, we must actively promote the positive benefits of diversity and inclusion and prevent people from being coerced into these harmful and radical belief systems; (2) acknowledges: (a) the importance of multiculturalism, and the significant value Canberra’s growing cultural and linguistic diversity contributes to the city and community; (b) that the overwhelming majority of Canberrans reject extremist ideologies, and reject acts of fear and exclusion, including any acts of discrimination, racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia and antisemitism; (c) that Canberra is recognised under the Welcoming Australia Network with Advanced Accreditation and that Canberra is a Refugee Welcome Zone, both of which demonstrate the Government’s commitment to welcoming refugees, asylum seekers, and promoting and celebrating inclusion, diversity, and social cohesion; and (d) the Government’s commitment to continue to work closely with people who may be vulnerable to extremist views, including undertaking early intervention and prevention activities to steer them away from radicalisation and harmful behaviour; (3) requests that the Standing Committee on Social Policy undertake an inquiry into the re-emergence and rising prevalence of extremist political ideologies and belief systems in the ACT. The inquiry should consider potential recommendations on actions to help prevent and intervene early in the radicalisation of vulnerable cohorts in our community; and (4) calls on: (a) all Members of the Legislative Assembly to publicly re-affirm their support of Canberra’s multicultural community and condemn the anti-immigrant sentiment expressed in the rallies held in Canberra on 31 August 2025 and any politically-motivated violence; (b) the ACT Government to work with the Commonwealth Government to continue to strengthen anti-racism and anti-discrimination frameworks and, subject to the findings of the above inquiry, consider developing an anti- racism strategy; and (c) the Minister for Multicultural Affairs to provide an update to the Assembly by May 2026 on progress made against recommendations of the racial vilification inquiry of the Tenth Assembly, since its response to that inquiry was provided in March 2023.

    The Minutes don’t print the final text for this one, so we can’t show the agreed wording.

Check the official record

  • Minutes of Proceedings No 30, 17 September 2025, item 5

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