STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Ms SITOU (Reid) (13:31): The footage of a 13-year-old Muslim schoolgirl being subjected to racist abuse on a bus in Strathfield saddens me. Janna was targeted because she showed courage. She saw another young woman being filmed without her consent, and she stepped in to defend her.

For doing the right thing, she was abused, called a terrorist and told she did not belong in this country. But if I'm honest, what happened to Janna didn't shock me, because it is happening much too often. Across Australia, Muslim women and girls watched that footage knowing it could just as easily have been them.

To Janna and to every young person who has experienced racism, I say this: you belong here. No child should be made to feel unsafe because of their faith or the way they look. No parent should have to worry that their child will face hatred in public.

We are at our best when we bring people together, not tear people apart. And political leaders cannot wash their hands of incidents like this. Words matter.

When migrants are demonised, division is normalised and hatred is emboldened. We must stand against racism and stand with our multicultural communities. Janna belongs here, Muslim Australians belong here, and hate has no place in Australia.