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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-06-23 Daily Xml
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MULTICULTURALISM

Mr PICCOLO (Light) (14:16): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier please update the house on a complaint to the Human Rights Commission concerning his advocacy for the proper recognition of Hellenic Macedonia?

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (14:16): I thank the honourable member for this very serious question. I want also to acknowledge the honourable member's deep and ongoing interest in multicultural affairs. Members may recall that there was some publicity earlier this year when members of the self-described Australian Macedonian Human Rights Committee complained about criticisms I had made of the incumbent president and, indeed, government of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. I received correspondence in February this year from the President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Justice Catherine Branson QC. In part, her letter stated:

The Australian Human Rights Commission has received a complaint from Mr George Vlahov on behalf of himself and others. The complaint alleges racial hatred under the Racial Discrimination Act 1975.

Justice Branson went on to say:

Mr Vlahov states that, in 2009, you made a speech at a Greek community event and that during that speech you made certain comments that implied that ethnic Macedonians are thieves and that ethnic Macedonians are stirring up trouble.

I replied to the commission's president to refute the allegation. My response of 10 March 2010, in part, stated:

On Sunday 15 November 2009, I attended the Dimitria Festival as an official guest at the invitation of the Pan-Macedonian Association. I addressed the President of the association, Mr George Genimahaliotis, other members of the association, their official guests and members of the public who attended the festival.

I strongly refute any allegation that in my speech, or on any other occasion on which I have spoken on this issue, I said anything that could offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate any person or persons on the basis of their race, national or ethnic origin. The speech contained criticisms directed at the policies and decisions of the incumbent president of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia [also known internationally as] (FYROM).

My remarks were clearly directed at the conduct of a government and not of its people and moreover were not based on race, ethnicity or nationality. My views on the provocative actions of successive governments of FYROM are consistent with the criticisms also made by other European Union countries and the United Nations.

In my speech, I specifically drew a distinction between the conduct of the political leadership of FYROM and its people. I also referred briefly to the importance of not overshadowing the contribution to history of the people of FYROM. The allegation that my comments carry the implication that 'ethnic Macedonians' are thieves cannot be made out.

That was part of what I said in my letter. In my response, I went on to state:

In my public and personal life over decades, I have spoken out against racial and ethnic discrimination. I have supported causes and organisations that represent a vast range of racial and ethnic groups to promote multiculturalism and freedom from discrimination. I have abhorred racism as a former minister of Aboriginal affairs, a former minister assisting in ethnic affairs, and as premier I have been officially honoured by three overseas nations and South Australian and national community organisations for my commitment to multiculturalism.

My commitment to racial and ethnic tolerance is not diminished by my commitment to speak out on political issues, particularly when such issues are relevant to ethnic communities that have settled in South Australia. I have, for example, been very critical of the policy of successive governments of Great Britain over their refusal to restore the Parthenon Marbles to their rightful place in Greece. I have been critical of the policies of the Turkish government in maintaining a large military presence in Cyprus in contravention of UN declarations and thereby supporting an illegal regime. I was critical of the then government of South Africa for its horrendous policy of apartheid and other racially discriminatory practices. In the past I was critical of the French government for undertaking testing of nuclear weapons in the Pacific Ocean.

Of course I have a particular interest in this area—history—and, along with my friend Jeff Kennett in Victoria, have received the Philip of Macedon Award and, indeed, the Alexander the Great Award, again for my interest in this area.

So, I regard it as horrendous to be falsely accused of racism. There is absolutely nothing wrong with anyone criticising any government. People criticise the South Australian government but no-one accuses them of racism; people accuse the former Howard government, but they were criticising the policies and not their race.

I recently received a letter from commission president Justice Branson in which she informed me:

I am writing to you that it is my present intention to terminate the complaint under section 46PH(1)(c) of the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 as I am satisfied the complaint to be lacking in substance.

I stand on my record of commitment to racial and ethnic tolerance, and that is in no way diminished by my commitment to speak out on political issues, particularly when such issues are relevant to ethnic communities that have settled here in South Australia. I will not be intimidated by anyone from speaking out forthrightly on behalf of historical truth—and indeed on human rights and justice.

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