Jacinta Allan slammed over genocide snub

Jacinta Allan faces a revolt from Victoria’s Greek community that could cost the Labor Party at the ballot box.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan. Picture: Nadir Kinani / NewsWire

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Victorian Greek Labor figures are appalled at the decision by Premier Jacinta Allan not to support a parliamentary motion recognising a century-old genocide by the Ottoman Empire.

Senior community members believe the move by Ms Allan, which the Greens say forced them to scuttle plans to introduce the motion into parliament next week, may jeopardise Labor’s historically strong support among Greek voters.

“The Premier has failed on a significant issue of historic principle – it will cost Labor,” one community figure said.

“She says ‘the time is not right’. This genocide happened more than 100 years ago, if the time is not right now, when will it be?”

A number of Greek-dominated Victorian ALP branches are preparing to pass resolutions in support of the genocide motion.

One northern suburbs branch passed a resolution this week “to support the recognition by the Victorian state parliament of the genocide against Greek, Assyrian and Armenian peoples”.

“That the Labor Party should stand for moral and social justice at home and abroad, including the recognition of historical injustice,” the resolution states.

“That by recognising the genocide against Greek, Assyrian and Armenian people, Victoria would be joining the NSW, South Australian and Tasmanian parliaments in recognition of this historical fact.”

The Australian revealed on Thursday that Ms Allan would not throw Labor’s support behind the motion from the Greens, stating it was not an “appropriate time” for the debate.

“Right now we need to focus on uniting communities, not creating division,” the premier’s spokesperson said.

In a swift backflip, the Greens announced on Thursday morning that its plans for a motion had been dropped.