New figures show jump in racism complaints

RACISM complaints have jumped by more than 75 per cent in Victoria in one year, new figures show.

The increase has been put down to “inflammatory racerelated statements” by politicians, especially African gang remarks made by Home Affairs minister, Peter Dutton.

Formal complaints of race discrimination to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission rose 76 per cent in the last 12 months, and reports to the information line rose 34 per cent.

In the first six months of 2018, formal complaint numbers were up 129 per cent on those in the first six months of 2017.

The commission said the sharp increase this year followed reports of politicians’ race-related comments in January. On January 3, Home Affairs Minister, Peter Dutton, said of Melburnians: “People are scared to go out to restaurants of a night time because they are followed home by these gangs.

“We just need to call it for what it is. Of course it’s African gang violence.”

Commissioner Kristen Hilton said the community should be concerned by the sharp in- crease in claims of racism.

“This sudden jump in racerelated discrimination reports should be a wake-up call for politicians who have made racially divisive statements,” she said. “Linking skin colour and crime causes more problems than it solves.”

Reports of race discrimination to the commission’s inquiry line rose from 470 in the 2016-17 financial year to 630 in the 2017-18 financial year.