Victorian Premier Allan met with multicultural community leaders on Friday at Melbourne Town Hall to “send an important message to those who try to divide us with violence and vilification: you can’t.”
The premier announced she will introduce stronger anti-vilification laws after a pro-Palestine protest group planned to disrupt the launch of the Myer Christmas Windows. The new laws aim to enhance social cohesion and give police more power to manage demonstrations.
The Premier took the opportunity to talk about the introduction of “strong new social cohesion laws” aimed at ending what she described as a “creeping culture of division.”
The new laws are intended to make it easier for police to charge individuals found to be inciting violence against specific individuals or groups.
“People have a right to demonstrate; no one has a right to divide,” Allan said.
She further stated that there is “no place for hate speech in our country.”
President of the Greek Community of Melbourne and lawyer, Bill Papastergiadis, who was invited to the gathering said,
“There is no such thing as absolute freedom of speech, and those who manipulate the concept of freedom of speech to justify hateful language simply misunderstand the law.”
He also highlighted existing laws relating to privacy, protection of minors, and defamation.
“At present there are a number of laws that impinge on freedom of speech including laws relating to privacy, minors and the law of defamation. Hence, our rights are regulated so as to ensure we have a functioning and respectful society,” Papastergiadis said.
Among others invited by Premier Allan were Jasbir Singh Suropada from the Sikh Interfaith Council of Victoria; Sheikh Muhammad Nawass from the Victorian Board of Imams; Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann from the Ark Centre; Makarand Bhagwat from the Hindu Council of Australia; Dr Hass Dellal, Executive Director of the Australian Multicultural Foundation; Bihong Wang from the Asian Business Association of Whitehorse; and Pritam Singh Gill and Ravi Inder Singh from the Gurduara Council of Victoria.
Following the proposed protest of the Myer Christmas Windows unveiling, which Myer subsequently cancelled, Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto was scathing of the government.
“It’s not acceptable for Premier Jacinta Allan to be furious but unwilling to act. We’ve got to get control of our city back.
“If I were Premier today I would be working with Victoria police to issue whatever declarations need to be issued to protect places like this, where young families come to celebrate a very important time of the year.”
At Friday’s meeting of community leaders the Premier outlined the proposed strengthening of the anti-vilification laws that will soon be introduced in parliament.
Papastergiadis told Neos Kosmos that Premier Allan and the community representatives later walked from the premier’s office to Town Hall, where they were greeted by Melbourne’s newly elected Lord Mayor, Nick Reece.
Allan and Reece also spoke about the importance of maintaining public safety during Christmas events across the city.
