SATURDAY 17 DECEMBER 2005

Racism festers when leadership goes missing

The Prime Minister and other leaders must take responsibility for the politics of intolerance that helped fuel the racist violence experienced in Cronulla and other Sydney suburbs over the past week, according to Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR).

ANTaR National Director, Dr David Cooper said that while the violence had many and complex causes it was fermented by a decade of Federal government policy which sought to exploit racial divisions rather than heal them.

“Like the vast majority of Australians, the members of ANTaR were sickened by last week’s violence. We condemn absolutely the actions of all who took part in it,” Dr Cooper said.

“But we were also extremely disappointed by both the Prime Minister, Treasurer and Federal Opposition leader who seem to be in denial over what actually occurred. Highlighting the issue as principally one of law and order and personal responsibility is to ignore the core of the problem.”

“It beggars belief that Peter Costello and John Howard before him could deny that racism was at the core of the violence that took place,” he said.

Dr Cooper said last week’s events were the culmination of a growing climate of intolerance as issue after issue has been cast by the Howard Government in racially divisive terms. He said these issues have included the Government’s:

• Response to the Wik native title decision;
• Refusal to apologise to the stolen generations;
• Persistent demonising of Indigenous leaders’
• Failure to deal with Hansonism’
• Exploiting the Tampa and children overboard incidents for political gain; and
• Unfair targeting of Islamic people over terrorism fears and the Iraq war

“Throughout his time in office, John Howard’s hunger for votes has led him to appeal to the worst aspects of our national character. His actions and those of his senior Ministers came home to roost in the most tragic way in Cronulla and Maroubra last weekend,” Dr Cooper said.

Dr Cooper said the Howard Government’s divisive actions had been formalised by the creation of a single department for all non-white Australians.

“The Department of Immigration, Multiculturalism and Indigenous Affairs is really the department of the “Other,” or anyone who is not white Anglo Saxon.

“It’s little wonder that a generation of young non-Indigenous Australians has grown up in a climate promoting fear or resentment of 'the other', while those of Indigenous, Islamic and other ethnic backgrounds have had to endure an environment in which they have been targeted as 'the problem',” he said.

Dr Cooper said the Opposition Leader, Kim Beazley, was slow in confronting the Prime Minister’s response.

“Only NSW Premier, Morris Iemma called the events of the weekend for what they were – violent acts fuelled by racism.”

Dr Cooper said he hoped the events of the past week would serve as a wake up call to Federal political leaders.

“It’s not too late for the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader to show real leadership and bipartisanship in response to the events of last weekend.”

“But to do that they would have to put the national interest above their own political interests. They would need to show the courage that up to now both of them have lacked. They would have to condemn racism wherever it occurs – even when it’s carried out by their political supporters.”

Media contact: David Cooper on 0418 486 310.