The NSW Government has convened a roundtable with more than 40 Indian-Australian leaders, vowing to push back against the “racist rhetoric and divisive false claims” that have circulated in recent weeks.
Premier Chris Minns, Treasurer Daniel Mookhey and Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper joined representatives from peak bodies and community organisations on Tuesday, with Multicultural NSW supporting the discussions. The government has pledged to move a motion in the state parliament seeking bipartisan support for the Indian community, with the debate scheduled for 10 September.
Minns said the purpose was to send an unambiguous message. “I can say without fear of contradiction that the Australian Indian community have done so much for our country, this community is full of hard working and decent people who join communities, who raise their families, who prioritise their community, and lastly, but I think most importantly, who love Australia, who love our country. Today we stand together with the Australian Indian community to say unambiguously that the sort of racist rhetoric and divisive false claims we have seen over the last couple of weeks have no place in our state or country.”
He added that those spreading hate must be called out. “When neo-Nazis and white supremacists spread lies and fear, we will call it out because the truth is that a lie can race around the world before the truth gets its pants on, and the truth is that Australian Indians are one of the most successful, patriotic and community-minded groups in our nation.”
Mookhey said the attacks on the Indian community had been fuelled by internal political disputes. “Australian Indians should not be used as fodder in an internal Liberal Party dispute as it works through its view on migration. We can debate Australia’s immigration policy without singling out any one group as being the reason why it needs to be changed. The Minns Labor Government has a responsibility to make sure that our Australian-Indian community is safe, is supported and hears our very clear message—this kind of dangerous rhetoric is unacceptable.”
Kamper said the right to feel safe and welcome was non-negotiable. “Our Australian-Indian community, like any community, has the right to feel safe and welcome in Australia. The fact that they have been intimidated and vilified is a blight on our State. The Australian-Indian Community is defined by their commitment to community, their aspirational ambition and their hardworking nature. They personify the very characteristics we cherish as a nation, that hard work will be met with opportunity, that contributing to the community will lead to a better life, and that respect will be met with respect. Our society is richer for their contribution.”
The roundtable and forthcoming parliamentary motion come after a fortnight of heated political exchanges. Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s comments on Indian migrants during an ABC interview sparked outrage and have been condemned across the aisle, while extremist rallies in Melbourne added to concerns about the tone of the migration debate.
For Indian-Australians who have felt targeted, the message from the state government was clear: they are welcome, valued and integral to the country’s social fabric.
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