Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull denies government is stoking racism as complaints jump

PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull says claims his government is stoking racism are “nonsense” despite new figures showing race discrimination complaints have jumped by more than 75 per cent. He says there is concern about African gangs in Melbourne.

MALCOLM Turnbull says claims his government is stoking racism are “nonsense” despite new figures showing race discrimination complaints have jumped by more than 75 per cent in Victoria in one year.

But the Prime Minister also says he has heard “from people in Melbourne” that people are afraid to go to restaurants because of Sudanese gang violence.

“There is real concern about Sudanese gangs … you’d have to be walking around with your hands over your ears in Melbourne not to hear it,” he told Melbourne radio 3AW today.

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The Prime Minister was responding today to reports formal complaints of race discrimination to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission rose 76 per cent in the last 12 months.

He branded claims that the spike was partly caused by “inflammatory race-related statements” by politicians, especially remarks made by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton about African gang violence, as “nonsense”.

Mr Turnbull said his government had “zero tolerance” for racism and that Australia was the “most successful multicultural society in the world”.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

But asked whether he agreed with Mr Dutton that people were frightened to go to restaurants in Melbourne because of Sudanese gang violence, Mr Turnbull said: “I have heard those reports.”

“I’ve heard from people, colleagues in Melbourne, say that there is a real anxiety about crime in Melbourne.”

He added that Mr Dutton was “simply seeking to do the best job as Minister for Home Affairs” when he made those comments.

Mr Turnbull also said concerns about street crime were a community policing matter for Victorian Police.

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, Mr 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 increase in claims of racism.

“This sudden jump in race-related discrimination reports should be a wake-up call for politicians who have made racially divisive statements,” she said.

Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner Kristen Hilton.

“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.

Formal complaints of race based discrimination rose from 77 in 2016-17 to 136 in 2017-18.

The greatest number of formal complaints came from people claiming discrimination within their employment (50 per cent), or the provision of goods and services (38 per cent).

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