Legislative Council Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1) 55 1 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Antiracism Antiracism The Hon. R.A. SIMMS Legislative Council Antiracism The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (14:58): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question without notice to the Leader of the Government in this place on the question of antiracism. Leave granted. The Hon. R.A. SIMMS Legislative Council The Hon. R.A. SIMMS: Is the minister concerned about the anti-immigration rally that occurred in the CBD on Sunday, and what action is his government taking to combat racism and to promote multiculturalism in the South Australian community? The Hon. K.J. MAHER Legislative Council Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Attorney-General Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector Special Minister of State The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector, Special Minister of State) (14:58): I thank the member for his question. Am I concerned if there is anything that seeks to foster division and racism in South Australia? Absolutely, yes, that concerns me, and I think it concerns all of us in here. I think some of the views that we have seen expressed at events, particularly on the weekend but recently in Australia, do not reflect properly who we are as Australians, particularly South Australians. We are a very proud multicultural society in South Australia that has benefited greatly from multiculturalism and from what that brings to us as a state and who we are as South Australians. Those who seek to foster hate and division I don't think have any place in public discourse in the manner and fashion that we have seen it in some incidents recently. Absolutely, the government as a whole does what it can do to make sure we are a more tolerant society. We have an antiracism strategy in the public sector, we have a Minister for Multicultural Affairs who fosters that inclusiveness and we have members of this parliament—I would like to specifically mention the Hon. Jing Lee. You can rarely go to an event in our multicultural community without Jing Lee being a part of that event and promoting multiculturalism in South Australia, as I know so many in this room and across our parliament do. So in response, no, some of the actions, some of the views put forward, have no place in South Australia.