Opposing racism – we’re stronger together

Australia is a deeply racist society. The rich and powerful have used racism to divide and rule us for decades. Migrants are scapegoated for the housing crisis, while we’re told “terrorists” are the greatest threat to our safety. First Nations people are vilified and “Western civilisation” is extolled. The far right today are championing an openly white supremacist vision of Australian nationalism, while both major parties are trying to copy them.

Socialists reject all of this. Workers are united by our shared experience of exploitation. Skin colour, ethnicity or religion are fake divisions. We demand the end of all racist discrimination, either through law or practice, by government departments, the police and courts, or private employers. Fighting racism is about strengthening the bonds between workers and pointing the blame at our collective enemy- the rich and their political servants. It’s about a better life for all workers, no matter the colour of your skin.

We’ll fight for

Fighting structural racism

Strengthen the Anti-Discrimination Act and give Anti-Discrimination NSW proactive investigation and enforcement powers. This should include a dedicated unit investigating systemic racial discrimination in housing, employment and access to services.
Crack down on racial discrimination in the private rental market. Empower Anti-Discrimination NSW and Fair Trading to proactively investigate discriminatory landlords, real-estate agencies and rental practices and impose meaningful penalties.
Massively increase investment in public services in working-class migrant communities, particularly in Western and South-Western Sydney and regional centres: public housing, schools, hospitals, childcare, public transport, youth services and community facilities.
Increase secure, ongoing funding for multicultural community organisations, migrant resource centres, refugee services, community-language programs and cultural institutions.
Oppose racial profiling and racist policing, including the disproportionate targeting of Arab, Muslim, African, migrant and First Nations communities. Strengthen independent scrutiny of police discrimination and misconduct.
Defend migrants and refugees against racist scapegoating. Housing shortages, low wages and overstretched public services are caused by governments protecting property developers, landlords and big business — not by migrants. NSW Socialists will oppose attempts by Labor, the Liberals or One Nation to blame migrant communities for crises they did not create.

Oppose Islamaphobia

Review NSW counter-terrorism, policing and surveillance policies for discriminatory impacts on Muslim communities, and repeal powers and practices that criminalise communities.
Guarantee Muslim students and workers the right to practise their religion without discrimination, including accommodation of religious dress, prayer and religious observance in public schools and NSW government workplaces.
Protect mosques and Muslim community centres from racist harassment and violence, without using “security” as a justification for greater surveillance or policing of those same communities.
Oppose the conflation of support for Palestinian liberation with antisemitism, extremism, or terrorism, and defend the right of Muslims, Arabs and all supporters of Palestine to organise, protest and speak publicly without police repression or political intimidation.

Migrant and refugee services

Massively expand free legal assistance for refugees, asylum seekers and migrant workers
Establish a NSW inquiry into the exploitation of migrant workers, including wage theft, unsafe work, sham contracting, intimidation and the use of visa insecurity to silence workers. Require the NSW Government to exclude employers found to systematically exploit workers from public contracts.
Support the unionisation of migrant workers, including funding multilingual information about workplace rights and guaranteeing unions access to government-funded migrant employment and training programs.
Expand free employment, training and skills-recognition programs for refugees and migrants, including free TAFE, bridging courses and support for workers whose overseas qualifications are not recognised in Australia.
Guarantee free, accessible English-language education for everyone who wants it
Guarantee access to free professional interpreters and translated information across all NSW public services, including hospitals, schools, housing, police, courts and government agencies. Multicultural NSW already employs a large interpreting workforce, this should be expanded into a universal entitlement.

Languages

Guarantee free community-language education from early childhood through high school, reflecting the languages spoken in local communities
Properly fund community language schools, teachers and resources
Train and recruit more bilingual teachers through funded pathways and scholarships into the profession