THE ARARAT ADVERTISER
REX MARTINICH
A CIVIL rights group is “deeply concerned” about extremist and racist groups attempting to establish themselves in the Grampians and Pyrenees regions.
Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dr Dvir Abramovich called on the government to develop an action plan to combat extremism following a Fairfax Media report of ‘white pride’ recruitment in Beaufort.
“It is chilling that in today’s Australia there are people who remain determined to push their bigoted agenda and online activities to the real world by seeking to recruit like-minded individuals to their vile cause of intolerance,” Dr Abramovich said.
“We need to name the hate and to acknowledge that White supremacists are feeling empowered and emboldened, waging a forceful and well-coordinated national campaign of outreach.
“It is no surprise that there is an explosion of racist activity in Victoria, invading our schools, universities and public spaces, and justifiably causing many to feel fearful for their safety.”
Dr Abramovich said the Beaufort incident was particularly disturbing because it followed on the heels of neo-Nazi group Antipodean Resistance holding a training camp in the Grampians.
“We should all be horrified by a newly emboldened and energised white supremacist movement that is redoubling its efforts across the nation in an unprecedented outreach campaign to rally people to their radical cause and beliefs,” Dr Abramovich said.
“This surge in not an aberration and is part of the attempt to sell and normalise bigotry under benign labels.
“While their fundamentalist ideology and rhetoric is still a fringe element of Australian society, we cannot be complacent about their growth and activities, and we must be vigilant in protecting every community that is targeted by their hatred.”
Last Friday, a community newspaper published a classified advertisement seeking people interested in forming an ‘alliance’ based on ‘white pride’ and ‘right wing politics’.
The newspaper in question was not operated by Fairfax Media, which is the publisher of this website.
“Wanted: People interested in white pride and right wing politic’s (sic) to form an alliance. Beaufort Area,” the advertisement stated.
The advertisement was placed by Steve Stranks, who runs Southern Pride Boxing Club in Beaufort.
Mr Stranks has not responded to a request to comment from Fairfax Media, but he sent a text message to the ABC stating he was “just a loner interested in the subject”.
Mr Stranks is also a part-time Ararat Rural City Council employee.
Ararat Rural City chief executive Allan Bawden said at the time that Mr Shranks had been “counseled” about the issue and that Ararat Rural City embraced diversity and rejected racial discrimination.
In response to those comments, former state Greens candidate for Buninyong, Tony Goodfellow, sent a letter of complaint to Mr Bawden.
“The Ararat Rural City cannot continue to hire some one who is a nazi/racist because it sends a message that a) the council condones the behaviour b) the you do not value people of colour/diverse backgrounds because it would be impossible for them to work along side him,” Mr Goodfellow’s letter stated.
“It most probably breaks the code of conduct, and if not the code needs to be revised.”
Mr Bawden later told the Guardian Australia that Mr Shranks had not committed a “sackable offence”.
Mr Goodfellow also complained to the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission.
The Australian Press Council, a voluntary self-regulatory body for print and online media, has also received a complaint about the ‘white pride’ advertisement.
The Australian Press Council might not rule on the complaint as its main objective is upholding standards in news gathering and reporting, not advertising content.
The story about the Beaufort ‘white pride’ group provokes hundreds of comments on social media, with some users defending the right for someone to express pride in their cultural heritage.
Dr Abramovich said ‘white pride’ groups were not about celebrating European heritage but denigrating and intimidating people of other races.
”The so-called Alt Right movement, and its adherents promote their blatant racism and anti-Semitism by arguing that they are simply trying to preserve their European-Christian identity, race and culture that are under threat from migrants and minorities.” he said.
“This is a tactic to make their message more palatable to the average white person, and to bring their dangerous message into the mainstream by making it more respectable.
“But this re-branding cannot mask the fact they reject pluralism or multiculturalism in any form and that they traffic in fear, stereotypes and violence.”