On September 8, race and discrimination commissioner Graeme Innes used a forum at the University of NSW Indigenous Law Centre on racism in sport to condemn the racist dog-whistling in the recent federal election.
鈥淵ou only have to look at the race to the bottom that you saw in the recent election on asylum seekers. Don't tell me there's not a racist part in that issue.
鈥淯ntil we get some much stronger political leadership and until an appropriate and appropriately resourced multicultural and anti-racism strategy we are selling ourselves short. The diverse society we have, the fabric of that society is being damaged by not addressing that issue.鈥
On September 10, Pino Migliorino, of the Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia, said the election debate on population had racist undertones, fanning xenophobia to deflect concerns about inadequate infrastructure.
鈥淭here was no attempt to nuance that whole debate鈥, he told the Sydney Morning Herald.