Millions of people are in COVID lockdown this week; many of them are in my home state of New South Wales. Tens of thousands have lost their livelihoods without adequate support from the Morrison government. Marginalised communities are being overpoliced and maligned in south-west and Western Sydney while corporations, billionaires and the wealthiest keep adding to their bottom lines. These are the fault lines, inequalities and injustices that have been exposed and heightened during the last 18 months.

Australian Greens Anti-racism spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that a new report by the Australian Human Rights Commission has found that 4 in 5 Australian Muslims have experienced discrimination, and a similar proportion feel the Christchurch mosque attacks made them afraid for their community.

Senator Faruqi is the first Muslim woman elected to the Australian Senate.

Senator Faruqi said:

I have some bad news for people tonight. It turns out that the pandemic didn't kill the so-called culture wars, which are being manufactured again by the far Right in this chamber. There are a bunch of senators who will go to any lengths to appeal to the Sky News crowd, with frantic race-baiting and attacks on minorities, including trans people, and many other invented threats. It seems that nothing is beyond the pale for these senators.

Australian Greens Anti-Racism spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that the Liberals and Nationals have yet again supported and passed a hateful One Nation Senate stunt, joining the far-right party in agreeing that critical race theory should be ‘rejected’ in the national curriculum.

Senator Faruqi said:

“The government has a damning track record of indulging far-right politics and One Nation stunt motions in the Senate.

It looks like Senator Hanson has been watching a little bit too much of Fox News and Sky News lately. It's hard to imagine she knows much about critical race theory. But know this: we will not stop fighting against systemic racism. We will not stop fighting for people who are marginalised and discriminated against every single day. No matter how much Murdoch media rubbish you regurgitate here and how much you bring in your petty attacks, you will not stop us.

I'm not going to mince my words here tonight. The treatment of Priya, Nades, Tharnicaa and Kopika has been nothing short of depraved A three-year-old child—who just turned four, actually, on the weekend—is in hospital because of a life-threatening blood infection. It should never have come to this. Her parents repeatedly asked for her to be taken to the hospital, to be told 'no', 'no', 'no'—over and over.

Senator FARUQI (New South Wales) (19:29): Tonight marks the end of the month of Ramadan, when millions of Muslims across the world fast. This is a month of reflection, charity and spiritual connection. Now we celebrate Eid Mubarak. As I wish Eid Mubarak, I know that so many Muslims around the world are suffering. In India and the subcontinent, COVID-19 continues to ravage our communities. Elsewhere, Kashmiris, Uighurs and Palestinians are suffering under oppression.

Australian Greens Anti-Racism spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has responded to reports that police have arrested two Australian men and found a bomb during raids on the homes of members of a neo-Nazi group.

Senator Faruqi said:

“This is a downright terrifying development. There can be no more denials or deflections of the violent far-right threat. These people are deadly serious.

Australian Greens Anti-racism spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that numerous investigations published today by ABC, Nine and Guardian Australia on far-right and neo-Nazi organising have underscored the need for urgent action to tackle the violent far-right.

Senator Faruqi said:

“These investigations are disturbing but not surprising. We know that the far-right is organising in Australia, and has links to international extremist groups. But the government has its head in the sand.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Greens spokesperson for Anti-Racism, has criticised ASIO’s shift away from naming the threat of right-wing extremism, as announced in its 2021 Annual Threat Assessment.

Senator Faruqi said:

“To counter the far-right, we have to name the far-right.

“The people who benefit most from a failure to name far-right extremists are far-right extremists themselves.