People for Racial Equality call rally

December 4, 1996
Issue 

By Ben Reid

MELBOURNE — A range of trade unions and community, Aboriginal, political and ethnic organisations have united to form People for Racial Equality and organise a "Take a Stand Against Racism" rally on December 8.

The group originated from a meeting called by the Victorian Trades Hall Council (VTHC) and the Ethnic Communities Council on November 8, which decided to produce a statement opposing racism and called for organisations to endorse it.

Launching the statement at a press conference on November 20, Dianne Sisley, chief executive of the Victorian Equal Opportunity Commission, said, "It is important to vigorously rebut racist views and behaviour when they occur and send the clearest possible message that such behaviour is not only unacceptable but unlawful in the community".

Other speakers at the launch included Leigh Hubbard from the VTHC; Alf Bamblett, president of the Aboriginal Advancement League; Che Cockatoo Collins, Essendon footballer; and Brian Conroy of the Victorian Ethnic Chamber of Commerce. More than 90 organisations have endorsed the statement.

While the statement calls on everyone "to condemn all racial discrimination, harassment and violence, and pledge commitment to indigenous Australians, including the right to land", it makes no specific criticisms of the Howard government's attacks on funding to Aborigines and native title and its discriminatory measures against migrants. This is in contrast to the concrete demands raised in most other states at the November 23 national day of action.

Ertugral Titiz, spokesperson for coalition member organisation Resistance, told Green Left Weekly: "We are glad that Trades Hall and other organisations have called this rally and issued this statement. Resistance is working hard to help build attendance at the rally by young people in particular.

"However, we need to do more than simply express our anti-racist views. We must oppose the concrete racist measures that the Howard government is implementing, and we hope that others at the rally will join us in demanding that the government reverse its attacks."

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