14th Aug 2018, 4:28 PM – Senate Motions - Multiculturalism - Pay tribute + note with concern

The majority voted in favour of motion introduced by Greens Senator Richard Di Natale, which means it succeeded. Motions like these don't make any legal changes on their own but can be politically influential as they represent the will of the Senate.

Motion text

That the Senate:

(a) pays tribute to the outgoing Race Discrimination Commissioner, Dr Tim Soutphommasane;

(b) recognises Dr Soutphommasane's advocacy for multicultural Australia and his defence of the human rights of all Australians during his tenure as the Race Discrimination Commissioner;

(c) notes with deep concern the:

(i) resurgence of far-right politics within the Australian political and media landscape, such as comments made by leading politicians including both the Prime Minister and the Minister for Home Affairs, and

(ii) commentary on so-called 'African gangs', attacks on Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 , as well as the inflammatory, xenophobic language often used when referring to Australia's migration patterns; and

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