On the UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IDERD), The Greens have announced their election plan to build an anti-racist Australia.

With racism on the rise, the Australian government must urgently tackle the root causes of racial hatred, discrimination and white supremacy.

The Greens will:

Australian Greens Anti-racism spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that the latest Islamophobia in Australia report, released today, reveals the horrifying face of Islamophobia and the urgent need for government to tackle anti-Muslim racism and hatred.

Senator Faruqi, who is the only Muslim in the Australian Senate, said:

“Islamophobia in this country is widespread, it is virulent, and it is on the rise.

“In the three years since Christchurch, the federal government has not lifted a finger to tackle Islamophobia and racism in this country.

I rise to speak to the Autonomous Sanctions Amendment (Thematic Sanctions) Bill 2021. I would like to associate myself with the remarks made by my colleague Senator Janet Rice. Senator Rice eloquently expressed the position of the Greens. We support this bill, but Senator Rice will be moving amendments, hopefully, to make this bill stronger.

When Donald Trump was US President, Prime Minister Scott Morrison was, rightly, criticised for his cosy friendship with this white nationalist leader who was impeached twice and tried to steal an election. But not much has been said about the Prime Minister's cosy friendship with another far-Right leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India. Dangerous nationalism and authoritarianism, with strong anti-Muslim and anti-Sikh elements, have skyrocketed in India under Modi, and his administration should be condemned.

Australian Greens Anti-racism spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said the findings of the latest Mapping Social Cohesion report, which highlight a substantial increase in Australians’ concerns about racism, should drive government action. 60% of people now say racism is a big problem, up from 40% just last year.

Senator Faruqi said:

“People are more and more worried about rising racism in the community.

I am concerned about the recent attempts by the minister for education to incite a culture war over the draft national curriculum created by the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority, or ACARA, as they're known. I find his comments on the draft curriculum offensive, pathetic and ahistorical. They should be challenged by everyone who cares about the integrity of our education system.

Just yesterday I stood in this chamber in question time and asked the Leader of the Government in the Senate whether he or the Prime Minister would condemn far-Right extremism. What I got was the usual waffle, the usual sitting on the fence: 'Yes. Sure. We condemn all kinds of extremism.' That is absolute rubbish. That is bullshit. You are putting people's lives in danger. That's what you are doing. And do you know what? This is nothing new. On the weekend, we saw the far-Right extremists on the streets again. They have embedded themselves in antilockdown and antivaccination organising.

In March 2019 the Christchurch mosque attacks were carried out by an Australian far-Right extremist who murdered 51 innocent Muslims. Since that day, which so many of us had feared terribly after years of rising far-Right extremism, hatred and racism, this threat has only gotten worse. It constitutes an unimaginable and devastating risk to the safety of communities across this country. ASIO is now reporting that up to 50 per cent of its domestic counterterrorism case load relates to ideologically motivated violent extremism, which is off the back of a sharp rise in far-Right extremism.

Senator FARUQI (New South Wales) (14:20): My question is to Minister Birmingham, representing the Prime Minister. In March 2019, the Christchurch mosque attacks were carried out by an Australian far-Right extremist, killing 51 innocent Muslims. ASIO is now reporting that up to 50 per cent of its domestic counterterrorism case load relates to ideologically motivated violent extremism, which is off the back of a sharp rise in far-Right extremism.

I am enthusiastically supporting the inaugural Youth Voice in Parliament Week, and I have the privilege of reading one of the more than 600 speeches submitted to us by young people. So here goes: