Thursday, 20 February 2025

Ministers statements: social cohesion

Vicki WARD (Eltham – Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Natural Disaster Recovery, Minister for Equality) (14:19): In Victoria there is no place for hate. I stood with the Premier at the Pride March alongside many on this side as she strongly reaffirmed her support for the LGBTIQA+ community. Turning up is important. It has to be real – always showing up when it counts. We must listen to all communities experiencing vilification, not pretend to understand their hurt when we have not experienced it, when we have not respected people’s stories. The harm caused by vilification is a public health issue, causing real hurt, real damage, and it can compound over a lifetime. These harms are avoidable. We can meaningfully address hate and vilification through reform, through being inclusive and respecting and celebrating differences rather than fuelling hate, division and harm.

Victorians are wonderfully diverse and deserve to not be afraid, to not hide parts of who they are, to live wholly and freely without hate. Our commitment to listening to communities is why multifaith, multicultural and LGBTIQA+ leaders of faith welcome the government’s anti-vilification reforms. Former federal Liberal Attorney-General George Brandis said people have the right to be bigots. While this may be the case for the Liberal Party and the Institute of Public Affairs, this government works to strengthen community cohesion rather than the right to spread hatred.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, on standing order 118, I and many members take personal offence at the outrageous slur. We are there, and we are there every single year. To attack people demeans you.

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

Vicki WARD: This government works to strengthen community cohesion rather than the right to spread hatred, to be bigots. We work to support Victorians, not harm them with culture wars. This government will never accept discrimination towards people living with disability. We will never accept LGBTIQA+ people having lesser whole-of-life outcomes. We reject all forms of antisemitism, Islamophobia and discrimination towards people of faith. I have four words that block hate: equality is not negotiable.