The Australian of today (Monday 10 August 2020) comments on submissions made to the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee Inquiry into issues facing diaspora communities in Australia, including on submission I have made as Chair of Australian Multicultural Council (AMC).

It quotes, from our submission, that it is the responsibility of the government to “protect refugee communities from attacks on them by the agents of foreign governments”. If further quotes: “The relationship between the countries of origin and refugee communities in Australia may be tense on occasions…”. “It is important to allow refugee communities to challenge, within Australian law, the human rights abuse abroad and their actions to advance democratic institutions in their country of origin.”

For more about the Inquiry, see: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Foreign_Affairs_Defence_and_Trade/Diasporacommunities/Submissions

My best congratulations to Elaine Pearson, Director Australia of Human Rights Watch on her opinion piece titled: “Critical test of academic freedom for Australian universities” – see: https://www.smh.com.au/national/critical-test-of-academic-freedom-for-australian-universities-20200804-p55iec.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed
Well done, Elaine.

It was a pleasure to be a part of a panel on ‘COVID-19 in Western Sydney: Priorities and Perspectives’.
The panel was hosted by Dr Andy Marks (Host), Chair of Western Sydney Community Forum and Assistant Vice Chancellor at Western Sydney University and included Mr Jihad Dib MP, Member for Lakemba, Ms Helen Loughlin, Member of Greater Sydney Commission and myself as participants.

Here is the link to the panel discussion – https://youtu.be/wV7BYwy0A3A

Welcoming Australia has just signed its 50th member for the Welcoming Cities network. See a media release in line with this achievement:
https://welcomingcities.org.au/50th-local-council-joins-welcoming-cities/

I use this achievement to ask you to support the work of the Welcoming Cities aiming at assisting migrant and refugee settlement in regional Australia.
For more see: https://welcomingcities.org.au

Recently the UK-based Henry Jackson Society think tank released a report that makes interesting reading. The report analysed the strategic dependence of the Five Eyes nations on China for critical goods.

To read a copy of the report, click: https://henryjacksonsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Breaking-the-China-Chain.pdf

Benedict Rogers published an interesting paper titled: “Ten steps towards a more humane post-pandemic China policy”.

Benedict Rogers is co-founder and Deputy Chair of the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, founder and Chair of Hong Kong Watch and East Asia Team Leader at the international human rights organisation CSW. He is a former Parliamentary candidate and author of six books.
The paper could be viewed on: https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2020/05/benedict-rogers-ten-steps-towards-a-more-humane-post-pandemic-china-policy.html

See attached: 2020-05-03 Benedict Rogers paper on PRC

Recommended reading.

Attached is my interview for Capital Radio in South Africa

Interview

For your information, please find attached a statement recently released by the Hon Alan Tudge, Acting Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs.

Statement – Standing by our multicultural communities

Last night I participated in the Ramadan Conversations program.

Here is the link: Ramadan Conversations

Don’t Let Fear Descend to Racism: Forum to Discuss the Path to Social Cohesion in Times of Crisis

As the world braces in fear of the spread of the novel coronavirus, multidisciplinary experts are preparing to gather at Western Sydney University to discuss the importance of maintaining harmony in times of crisis.

The 3rd Advancing Community Cohesion Conference (ACCC) will be held at the University’s Parramatta City Campus from 10-13 February 2020.

The ACCC 2020 Conference is looking to be an exciting conference with 91 presentations, 8 workshops and approximately 200 delegates expected to participate.

Notable speakers representing both government and academia will include:
• Mr Michael Pezzullo, Secretary, Department of Home Affairs, Canberra
• Mr Chin Tan, Australian Race Discrimination Commissioner
• Professor Pru Goward, Western Sydney University
• Dr Anne Aly MP, Member for Cowan, Western Australia
• Professor Andrew Marcus, Monash University
• Prof. Peter Shergold AC
• Mr David Manne, Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre, Melbourne
• Mr Andrew Giles MP, Member for Scullin, Victoria
• and many other prominent international and domestic speakers.

I was prompted to convene the national forum in 2019, following the massacres in Christchurch and Sri Lanka. Its original intent of the conference was to bring together delegates to discuss the benefits of migration and multiculturalism in Australia, and to identify the elements of well-functioning, cohesive communities.

However, following the events of recent weeks, I would expect that the tenor of the conference will change – to one that condemns the emerging racism and xenophobia that has been directed at the Chinese community in Australia.

In the first month of 2020, we have seen examples of how a community’s response to crisis can vastly differ. During the bushfires, we saw members of the Sikh community praised for providing free food for bushfire victims in Victoria. It was a heartening example of Australians from all walks of life coming together to help and support each other.
Less than a month later, the outbreak of the novel coronavirus has led communities to start turning their backs on each other. Influenced by fear and mistrust, we are seeing the Chinese community taunted, teased and ridiculed.

At ACCC 2020, delegates will discuss the ‘Way Forward’ from the novel coronavirus, including strategies for promoting Australia’s cultural, linguistic and faith diversity and responding to the growing threat of racism and xenophobia.

View the full program and register online at: www.advancingcommunitycohesionconference.com.au/