Australia's race discrimination commissioner, Giridharan Sivaraman, has issued a warning against politicians exploiting racist rhetoric targeting migrants amid the cost-of-living and housing crises. He cautioned that the 'bile of racism' has spilled into heated political debates and urged all sides not to dehumanise migrants in the lead-up to the election.
Sivaraman stated that economic inequality should not be used as a pretext to blame migration for complex problems. He highlighted concerns that such rhetoric could inflame community tensions, particularly during election campaigns, and lead to migrants and people of colour being denied equality and respect.
The Coalition has directly linked migration to the housing crisis, with leader Peter Dutton claiming Labor's immigration policies have caused the crisis. Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor questioned why the government plans to bring in 1.8 million immigrants over five years, while Immigration Minister Tony Burke criticised the opposition for opposing caps on international students.
Sivaraman also warned against pitting different communities against each other, emphasising that racism affects many groups and that validating one person's experience does not invalidate another's. His comments follow broader anti-migration debates in parliament, including Coalition proposals for a referendum on deporting criminal dual citizens and changing citizenship tests.
