SENATOR NOVA PERI S OAM

SENATOR FOR THE NORTHERN TERRITORY

SPEECH
BEYOND BLUE LAUNCH OF ANTI-DI SCRIMINATION CAMPAI GN
STOP. THINK. RESPECT.
TUESDAY, 29 J ULY 2014

*** CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY ***

I am delighted to be here today to help launch the Beyond Blue Anti-Discrimination
Campaign Stop. Think. Respect.

Thank you to J eff Kennett for inviting me.

For those of you that dont know I was a national patron of Beyond Blue and I have
always considered the work that Beyond Blue to be incredibly valuable.
I have made the trip to Melbourne today because this is such an important issue.

Australia has delivered systemic policies which have continued to degrade our
culture, leaving aboriginal Australians feeling worthless and invisible.

Continuous Australian policy denigrates and demonises us.

Aboriginal Australians have been racially discriminated in this country for over 200
years. In many, many forms. The effects of colonisation continues today.

To this day we are judged and viewed differently.

We are typecast and subjected to stereotypes. We are stereotyped as lazy. We are
stereotyped as alcoholics. We are stereotyped as unreliable. We are stereotyped as
reliant on handouts. We are stereotyped as only being good at sport.

We face scrutiny and mistrust where ever we go - in shopping malls, in restaurants,
in pubs and on the bus.

We are refused service and made to feel uncomfortable.

And in hospitals, schools and police stations we are treated differently.

At work we face a bias that has nothing to do with ability, aptitude and effort.

We face a legal system that ignores our culture. We face incarceration at staggering
levels.

We are told we are all the same. When white politicians disagree and argue it is
democracy. When black leaders disagree and argue we are dismissed as
incompetent, as though having a debate is somehow dysfunctional.

Our culture is denigrated. Our history is denigrated. Our land and our connection
with it is denigrated.

We are the subject of racist jokes.

And we face isolation and contempt if we object. If we speak up. If we take a
stand.

We face generational hatred and derision.

We face institutionalised racism every day.

And let me tell you. Racism cuts to the bone.

Being subjected to racism is one of the most shattering things that can happen to
you.

I know this from experience. I have been subjected to all forms of racism from
the blatant verbal abuse through to subtle bias against me.

I have stood up to racism. When I was representing Australia in athletics I was
subjected to racism from my own team mate.

I took a stand and made a formal complaint.

And now as a politician I will continue to take a stand and speak out against racism
in all its ugly forms.

Only earlier this month I spoke out on ABC radio when I was targeted with racial
emails.

In sport I could handle abuse and sledging if I made a blunder or didnt perform. In
politics I can handle abuse and criticism based on my politics. But I will never
tolerate abuse based on my race.

But not everyone has the capacity to stand up. Not everyone has the strength of
people like current Australian of the Year Adam Goodes to speak up. And that is
when being a victim of racism can be so damaging.

Racism makes people lose their self-esteem. It leads to a lack of identify. A loss of
self-pride. A loss of self-respect.

Racism is inequality and it makes people feel unequal.

Racism makes you angry. It makes you feel helpless.

And there is absolutely no doubt that racism can lead to depression. And of course
as we know that depression can lead to suicide.

Suicide is a problem right across Australia but in the Northern Territory and in
indigenous communities it is an even bigger problem.

The Northern Territory has nearly twice the rate of suicide than the Australian
average.

Any suicide is tragic. But youth suicide seems particularly tragic. It is so sad
whenever someone with their whole life ahead of them just cant see a way through.

And sadly in the Northern Territory we have very high rates of youth suicide and
very high rates of suicide amongst our indigenous population.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are five times more likely to commit suicide
than other Australian kids.

Five times more likely.

And this is a recent trend. In the 1980s the suicide rate in the Territory was similar
to the national average.

With any suicide the question is always Why?

There are often many factors but I have absolutely no doubt that racism plays a part
in the fact that an aboriginal child is 5 times more likely than other kids to commit
suicide.

And that fact in itself is why this campaign is so important. And why I didnt hesitate
in agreeing to be here today.

The Stop Think Respect campaign makes a stand that racism is not acceptable. But
it also makes people think about whether they might be sub-consciously engaging in
subtle racism. It makes people think about the potential consequences of their
actions.

I do not intend to be political today but there is a debate occurring in relation to
racial tolerance in our parliament at present.

The Government is proposing to make amendments to the Racial Discrimination
Act. The Attorney General, George Brandis, has defended these proposed changes
as necessary to defend the rights of bigots.

At the time I spoke out saying that this would be a green light to racism.

Saying that bigots have rights sends the message to people that they have the right
to be a bigot. They dont.

What upsets me the most is that we are even having this debate. I thought we
were beyond it. I have written to the Prime Minister urging him to abandon the
changes. I hope they do.

The law is important in helping to make a stand. But so is education and awareness
and that is what today is about.

In closing I again want to thank Beyond Blue for this campaign. Even if it stops just
one case of racism then it will have been worth it.

I hope that it stops many more.

I hope that this campaign saves lives. That is why I am here today.

I repeat what I said earlier - an aboriginal child is five times more likely to take their
own life.

That has to change. And that is why we are all here today.

Thank you.

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT: GINO LUGLIETTI 0401 119 794