The Turnbull Government should stop punishing and demonising migrants if it wants to help people settle in Australia, Greens Immigration and Citizenship spokesperson Nick McKim says.

“Turnbull, Tudge and Dutton should put their money where their mouths are if they want to help migrants settle in Australia,” Senator McKim said.

“They have cut support for asylum seekers, tried to make citizenship more difficult, and consistently embraced the hateful agenda of One Nation.”

Leader of the Australian Greens Dr Richard Di Natale today released draft laws aimed at protecting multiculturalism in Australia. Speaking at the Migration Institute of Australia’s national conference, Di Natale released a draft copy of the Australian Multicultural Bill 2017, which enacts one of the key recommendations of the report of the Senate Select Committee on Strengthening Multiculturalism established by the Greens earlier this year.
 

Amendment to General Business Notice of Motion No. 447. As listed on pages 7-8 of today’s Notice Paper in the name of Senator Di Natale

To move—That the Senate acknowledges the proposal below for a code of conduct:

PARLIAMENTARY CODE FOR RESPECTING CULTURAL DIVERSITY

PREAMBLE

The House of Representatives and the Senate have reached agreement on a Code of Conduct which is to apply to all members of Parliament.

The Australian Greens congratulate multicultural Australia for uniting and standing strong to defend 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.
 
"It was so inspiring to see people from right across multicultural Australia come together and fight to protect their communities from racism," Australian Greens spokesperson for Justice Senator Nick McKim said.
 
"It is thanks to these strong communities that the Senate was able to stand against the governments divisive legislation."
 

The Greens will always defend protections against hate speech, and resist any weakening of the Racial Discrimination Act.

Greens leader Dr Richard Di Natale said that we have a responsibility as leaders to protect the values of equality, diversity and multiculturalism that make our society so great.

"Malcolm Turnbull has an opportunity here to stand up for the values of inclusion and diversity that we all thought he believed in before he came under such unrelenting pressure from the far-right wing of his party.