Community Harmony An Issue For The Entire Media Laurie Ferguson - Shadow Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs

Media Statement - 13 January 2003

Minister Hardgrave's action in writing to ethnic community broadcasters about current threats to community harmony is unbalanced in the extreme. Unfortunately it is becoming part of a distinct pattern.

If the Government sees a need to encourage the media to avoid vilifying fellow Australians on ethnic, religious or other grounds than it should write to all sections of the media, including mainstream newspapers, commercial radio and television, ethnic newspapers and commercial ethnic radio and television outlets. Sadly we have had some disturbing instances of racial stereotyping and denigration.

If Minister Hardgrave has evidence to suggest that particular ethnic community broadcasters have contributed to current threats to community harmony he should refer the matter to the appropriate authorities. In my experience the ethnic community broadcasting sector is more aware than the rest of the media of the need to respect Australia's cultural, language and religious diversity.

It appears that Minister Hardgrave has chosen to write to ethnic community broadcasters simply because they are partly funded by the Government. As the National Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasters Council has said, his letter can easily be seen as saying ‘watch your step, don't portray the country negatively'.