Australia’s growing tolerance for racism a threat to democracy

As racism moves from the margins to the mainstream, Australia’s social cohesion and democratic stability are quietly eroding, writes Dr. Victoria Fielding.

AUSTRALIA IS A PROUD, multicultural country, but throughout our history we have failed to adequately address the challenges of racism, white supremacy, discrimination, hatred and bigotry towards racial minorities and immigrants.

The rise of anti-immigration sentimentMarch for Australia” movement, Terrorist attack on Bondi – A violent act of anti-Semitism, but also It fueled Islamophobia – last week failed bombing attempt about indigenous community members at the Perth Invasion Day protest and Pauline HansonOne Nation party rise in polls All alarm bells should be ringing that Australia is on the verge of a catastrophic split in social cohesion that is undermining public safety, cultural cohesion and ultimately Australian democracy.

Scanlon Instituteof 2025 report Data on Australia’s social cohesion shows that Australia is at a dangerous crossroads. While 85 percent of Australians say they support multiculturalism, 51 percent think immigration levels are too high (the highest ever recorded) and 48 percent think immigrants are finding work in Australia.

When we examine the figures in more detail, it becomes clear that even those who support immigration are much more likely to support white immigrants from countries such as the UK and the US than non-white immigrants, especially from Asia, the Middle East and Africa. There is also great prejudice against immigrants of Islamic faith, and the report highlights increasing prejudice against people of Hindu, Jewish and Sikh faiths.

Although the report finds that Australia’s current high levels of social cohesion protect society from the toxic consequences of division and hatred, the normalization and mainstreaming of anti-immigrant attitudes continues apace.

This mainstreaming includes a growing number of politicians joining the One Nation anti-immigrant chorus, including the Independent MP Bob Katter Participated in the March for Australia movement (despite his grandfather) emigrate from Lebanon). Former Deputy Prime Minister and former National Party Leader Barnaby Joyce he is also doing his bit to bring racism and hate into the mainstream by leaving the Nationals and Joining One Nation.

Liberals’ far-right MAGA Senators Alex Antic And Jacinta Nampijinpa Price We also work hard to legitimize extreme anti-immigration rhetoric. How extreme the liberals’ anti-immigrant rhetoric should be is one of the most important breaking points in the party. Susan Ley’s leadership on life support.

Australian media also contributes to the increase in hatred towards minorities. Social media is awash with anti-immigrant activists who fall on a normalizing spectrum. He openly declared neo-Nazis and March for Australian organizer Bec Freedom (Coincidentally, the person ABC Verify found Friendly relations with the Nazis).

In the mainstream news arena, News Corp is always happy to keep its weight in the background. divisive, hateful anti-immigration comments. In fact, he profits from bigotry.

One only has to look in the direction of US President Trump’s mass deportation regime currently in effect to understand the dangerous consequences at the end of the slippery slope of mainstreaming hatred towards non-white minorities. to terrorize the country and tear it apart.

Trump’s ability to whip up anti-immigration sentiment and capitalize on it politically has been central to his political success; This success proved disastrous for America’s place in the world, for the country’s social cohesion, and for the sustainability of democracy. Consider this: 2024 Election exit polls It showed 12 percent of voters thought the issue was the most important issue in the election, and 89 percent of voters voted for Trump. Voting over time It also showed that concerns about immigration in the United States are at an all-time high in an election year.

If you need another cautionary tale that isn’t as extreme as America’s (yet), anti-immigration sentiment is also currently tearing the UK apart. After playing a central role in the economically disastrous Brexit, opposition to immigration is now it’s rising againplacing disgusting, Alleged serial racist And liar charlatan Nigel Farage’s Reform It is ahead of the Labor Government in most opinion polls.

The Government is holding a meeting following the Bondi terror attack. Royal Commission on Anti-Semitism and Social Cohesion. This Inquiry must seek to understand how hatred of all minorities, whether racial, religious, immigrant or Indigenous, is dangerously eroding the social cohesion of Australia. More importantly, this investigation is an opportunity to hold accountable those responsible for spreading this hatred.

It is not too late to stem the tide of hatred and division sweeping Australia. First, we must name the problem before we can hope to solve it.