ELEANOR HALL: Australia's race discrimination commissioner says the debate sparked by the Attorney-General over the Racial Discrimination Act may have emboldened racist extremists to spread their messages of hate.
Offensive leaflets calling on white Australians to take action against Jews have been distributed in a Sydney suburb just weeks after a group of Jewish students were racially abused by a group of drunken teenagers.
Lindy Kerin has our report.
LINDY KERIN: In the Jewish neighbourhoods of Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, hundreds of residents have been shocked to find the offensive leaflets.
Vic Alhadeff from the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies says it's disturbing material.
VIC ALHADEFF: The leaflets represented a shocking list of classic anti-Semitic stereotypes, racist comments made against the Jewish people, which sadly we have seen over the years.
And it is quite shocking that blatant race hatred is alive and well once again here in our country.
LINDY KERIN: What's been the reaction by some of the people who received this leaflet in their homes?
VIC ALHADEFF: It's always extremely disturbing when one is confronted so personally and directly by racial hatred, and we see this all too soon.
The real issue is why now? And what we are seeing is a climate is being created where it is socially acceptable to express racial hatred.
And we see this across the board directed against many groups. And here in Sydney alone, against the Jewish community in recent days and weeks, we have seen swastikas openly and proudly paraded on the streets of Sydney.
Just a couple of weeks ago in Bondi, we saw young children verbally abused on a bus for the crime of simply being Jewish schoolkids going home.
LINDY KERIN: The leaflet references a group called Squadron 88 and Stormfront Downunder, which promotes itself as a white pride organisation.
The flyers were letterbox dropped in the electorate of the Federal Communications Minister, Malcolm Turnbull.
MALCOLM TURNBULL: They are despicable, they are racist anti-Semitic filth, and they do not simply seek to intimidate the Jewish community, they seek to and serve to undermine the stability and security of our whole country.
LINDY KERIN: The Human Rights Commission says it's concerned about reports by members of the Jewish community about an increase in racist attacks.
The race discrimination commissioner is Tim Soutphommasane.
TIM SOUTPHOMMASANE: Members of the Australian Jewish community have certainly made clear to me their concerns about rising anti-Semitism.
It's something that we should take very seriously. There is no place for anti-Semitism or any other kind of racism in multicultural Australia.
LINDY KERIN: The race discrimination commissioner says there are a number of factors that could have led to the increase.
TIM SOUTPHOMMASANE: Conflicts in the Middle East have undoubtedly contributed to some increased tensions in our communities.
There's also an issue I believe with the character of our political debate during the past 12 months, we've had a very intense debate about race and free speech.
Perhaps one of the unintended consequences of that debate has been that some racist extremists are being emboldened to spread their messages of hate.
We've heard a lot about a supposed right to be a bigot.
It may well be the case that some groups believe they indeed have that right and are being more forthcoming with their messages of racial hatred and racial purity.
LINDY KERIN: Have you seen the leaflets that have been distributed in eastern Sydney?
TIM SOUTPHOMMASANE: I have seen those leaflets and I can understand the distress and concern that residents in Bondi and in the eastern suburbs may feel in receiving that. This is nothing short of an attempt to intimidate a section of the Australian community and it is not acceptable.
Those who are responsible for this material should be condemned. This has no place in Australian society.
LINDY KERIN: New South Wales Police have obtained a copy of the leaflets.
They say the text doesn't amount to a criminal offense.
The Human Rights Commission says if people believe they've been subjected to racial vilification, they're free to make a complaint, as it's unlawful to offend, insult or intimidate someone on racial grounds.
ELEANOR HALL: Lindy Kerin reporting.
The full story...
Right to be a bigot comments have emboldened racists
Lindy Kerin reported this story on Wednesday, August 27, 2014 12:42:00
