April 11 – NSW Shadow Minister for Citizenship and Communities Mr Guy Zangari said Labor was strongly opposed to any watering down of race hate laws and Premier Barry O’Farrell, Minister for Citizenship and Communities mr Victor Dominello and the Liberals were out of step with multicultural communities.
In a statement to the press, Mr Zangari said Mr Dominello has disappointed the multicultural representatives during the previous night’s Premier Harmony Dinner “by failing to speak out against the Abbott Liberal Government’s contentious plan to wind back the Racial Discrimination Act.
Mr. Zangari said Mr Dominello’s weak stance contrasted with Vic Alhadeff, Chair of the Community Relations Commission, who spoke with eloquence and dignity against the change.
“As our State’s multicultural voice in the cabinet, Mr Dominello should have stated clearly that what the Abbott Liberal Government is doing is wrong.
“Everyone I spoke to is incredulous that the Liberal Party plans to abolish laws that protect our nation’s multicultural fabric – and instead made it easier to racially abuse people.
:Federal Liberal Attorney General Brandis’ comment that people in Australia have the right to be bigots remain extremely alarming for many at the dinner last night – and it was an opportunity for the NSW Liberals to stand u against those remarks.”
Mr Zangari said last nights Premier Harmony Dinner was a wonderful opportunity to honour leading members of the community who have helped NSW become one of the most successful multicultural societies.
It was extremely insensitive of the Premier to be beamed from overseas at his own dinner whreween the Liberal Party’s proposal were causing such hurt and distress among his guests,” Mr Zangari said.
“Barry O’Farrell should be condemning Mr Abbott and Mr Brandis – and disassociating the NSW Liberal Party from the insulting position coming out of Canberra from his Liberal colleagues.”