ACOSS strongly condemns and rejects divisive and harmful rhetoric used by Pauline Hanson in her Press Club speech, which does nothing to address systemic policy failures.
Acting CEO Edwina MacDonald said:
“ACOSS proudly celebrates the rich diversity of our community. First Nations peoples, migrants, people of all faiths, and people of diverse genders and sexualities all contribute enormously to the social, cultural and economic fabric of the country.
“People facing cost-of-living pressures deserve real, compassionate solutions, not inflammatory rhetoric designed to invoke fear and fracture our society.
“Political leaders must set a standard of decency and use words that build solidarity, not division.
“Scapegoating and dog-whistling won’t help build affordable homes, improve services or lift people out of poverty, but it will distract from the real work of creating a fairer country for everyone.
“The leadership, cultures and perspectives of Australia’s diverse communities enrich and strengthen us, and help build a more connected, resilient and inclusive society. We encourage all political leaders to reject this rhetoric and pursue conversations that embrace all communities instead of turning people against each other.”
