Ethnic Communities Council of WA in Perth, Western Australia | Community organisation

Ethnic Communities Council of WA

Locality: Perth, Western Australia

Phone: +61 8 9227 5322

Address: 20 View Street North Perth WA 6006 6006 Perth, WA, Australia

Website:

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25.01.2022 We, at ECCWA have been having conversations with the Dept of Home Affairs in respect of issues for our International students and also temporary visa holders (4...57 and 482). Today we received this information as to how they can be assisted in these troubled times. Please note the stuff for International students and the things on offer from the Universities: This is the information provided: "Information and support for temporary visa holders Please find below some information that may assist temporary visa holders or other community members experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19. Key information We know that ECCWA is playing a vital role in assisting community members to access official information. We continue to recommend the Frequently Asked Questions - Temporary Visa Holders document as the primary source of official information for temporary visa holders. We also note that Government factsheets in 63 languages are now available here on the Home Affairs website. There is a search function that allows a person to choose their language from a drop down menu at the top of the page. Jobs Hub While many businesses have been adversely affected by COVID-19 and are reducing their workforces, there are some areas of the economy which have an increased demand for workers. This includes jobs in health and care sectors, transport and logistics, some areas of retail, mining and mining services, manufacturing, agriculture and government sectors, among others. Job seekers, including temporary visa holders, can use the Department of Education, Skills and Employments Jobs Hub to find advertised vacancies. International students Student visa holders may be able to access support through their universities, for example: The University of Western Australias COVID-19 Financial Hardship Grant; Murdoch Universitys Student Support Package for International Onshore Students; Edith Cowan Universitys Student Support Package, including Support Grants and Grocery Assistance Grants; and Curtin Universitys COVID-19 Support, including the COVID-19 Financial Support Bursary. Early release of super and emergency relief We also refer to the COVID-19 early release of super scheme and the Department of Social Services Emergency Relief program; however, we note your feedback about why these measures are not suitable for all temporary visa holders and/or for ongoing support. Lotterywest grants The WA Government, through Lotterywest, has established a $159 million COVID-19 coronavirus relief fund to provide support to organisations that are helping people experiencing hardship. Eligible not-for-profit organisations and community groups can apply immediately for grant support. An initial $59 million will be available for crisis and emergency relief support for eligible not for-profit and community organisations to assist with costs related to increased demand for food, clothing, shelter and other critical needs. A further $100 million will be raised through Lotterywest sales. Protection for renters Legislation to support tenants and landlords of both commercial and residential tenancies are being introduced into State Parliament. This will provide protection for tenants including a moratorium on evictions for six months, and a prohibition on rent increases during the emergency period. Relief for households The WA Government has announced a $1 billion economic and health relief package, which includes no disconnections for power and water for households experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19. Council initiatives The WA Local Government Associations page Councils in the Community shows initiatives each council is taking to support communities through COVID-19. Measures relevant to temporary visa holders could include the freezing of council rates, and links to local not-for-profit groups. Community organisations We also note that many community organisations are providing support to community members, such as the Indian Society of WA. National Debt Helpline People experiencing financial distress or hardship may also be able to access free financial counselling through the National Debt Helpline. Demand for interpreting services As discussed yesterday, we are looking into any heightened demand for interpreting services due to COVID-19 and where they may be gaps. Thank you for your advice that this is not something that has been brought to ECCWAs attention. However, if you become aware of any specific issues (e.g. if there is unmet demand for interpreting services in a particular location or in a particular language), please let us know."

25.01.2022 For all of the people who are using the hysteria about the coronavirus to perpetrate acts of racism just stop! Heres a Chinese/Malaysian student explaining what has happened to her. She went home to visit her parents and family in Malaysia. Thanks Russell and Nadia.

25.01.2022 Our President Suresh Rajan spoke at Rotary Club of Karrinyup meeting last week.

25.01.2022 Statement from the Minister at the Federal level and Prime Minister. This is the sort of thing I was hoping for from the state Minister:

24.01.2022 Article published on Independent Australia:

24.01.2022 Article from ABC regarding the plight of International Students: https://www.abc.net.au//coronavirus-migrant-work/12130784

23.01.2022 My letter as published in the Sunday Times today. I note that Joe Spagnolo has written an editorial on exactly the same issue. Mine is as follows: "Opposition L...eader, Liza Harvey, refuses to rule out a preference deal with One Nation. That party has based its entire existence on policies that are mired in the hatred of racism. What makes this decision by Ms Harvey even more galling is the fact that she holds the portfolio of Multicultural Interests. I urge each Liberal candidate to adopt the principled stance of Eoin Cameron, some years ago, when standing for the seat of Stirling, he refused to exchange preferences with One Nation. This cost him the seat but won him the respect of the culturally and linguistically diverse communities of Perth. Sincerely Suresh Rajan President ECCWA 20 View Street North Perth WA 6006" See more

21.01.2022 A story about the signs displayed along the Freeways in Perth at the moment. The backlash against people from the Chinese community is going to be harsh and needs to be stopped now.

21.01.2022 I did an interview with Fred Mafrica last night on 6PR. It was all about the outbreak of racism we have had in conjunction with the Covid 19 virus.

20.01.2022 My letter to the editor: "I find it quite remarkable that our Opposition Leader, Liza Harvey, refuses to rule out a preference deal with One Nation. This would ...have to be the action of someone who has not read the mood of the room. Queensland has just delivered a resounding smack in the face of One Nation and decimated their primary vote. That party has based its entire existence on policies that are mired in the hatred of racism. Just look back at the performance of their leader in recent years. Dressing in a Burka, moving a motion that it’s ok to be white (the catchcry of the White Supremacists overseas) etc. are all the actions of people whose raison d’etre is unadulterated racism. What makes this decision by Ms Harvey even more galling is the fact that she holds the portfolio of Multicultural Interests. I also note that former leader Colin Barnett has cautioned against the cosy preference deal. I urge each Liberal candidate to adopt the principled stance of Eoin Cameron, some years ago, when standing for the seat of Stirling, he went against the status of the party machinery and refused to exchange preferences with One Nation. This ultimately cost him the seat but won him the respect of the culturally and linguistically diverse communities of Perth. Sincerely Suresh Rajan President ECCWA 20 View Street North Perth WA 6006"

20.01.2022 Starting today there will be regular public updates on COVID-19 in WA. This includes up-to-date information and tips on how to better protect yourself. It is i...mportant people are well informed on the virus, so as information becomes available we will share it. ---- - Current cases - As of today, a third confirmed case of COVID-19 has been detected in WA. The latest case is a returned traveller who is in a stable condition and now in isolation at home. Weve undertaken more than 800 tests in Western Australia and uncovered three cases, the remaining returning all negative results. All three cases have related to people travelling outside the State. There has been no community spread in WA to date. ---- - COVID clinics - Yesterday the Health Minister announced we are establishing new COVID Clinics in Western Australia. Initially, they will be based at Royal Perth Hospital, Fiona Stanley Hospital and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Preparations are underway for them to open on Tuesday 10 March. The COVID Clinics will care for adults and children, and staff at these clinics will be able to assess patients, provide advice and follow up on test results. The clinics are designed for patients who have recently travelled and those with a respiratory illness. The Health Department will expand the sites, in both metropolitan and regional locations, as needed. ---- We are preparing and taking every precaution to protect Western Australia from COVID-19. The Western Australian health system and our hospitals are very well prepared to manage infectious disease situations and have well established systems and processes in place. Western Australians should be going about their business as usual. It is important that we remain calm and use common sense. The best thing we can do to protect ourselves is quality personal hygiene - as we would in the winter flu season. We are preparing our whole of government response should the virus escalate locally. People simply need to be aware, observe good health and make sure they have accurate information, from credible sources. WA Department of Health information https://www.healthywa.wa.gov.au/coronavirus Coronavirus information hotline 1800 020 080 Smartraveller information regarding travel advice for Australians - www.smartraveller.gov.au

19.01.2022 ECCWA Press release re the CoronaVirus event cancellations: https://tinyurl.com/soqh78g

19.01.2022 My comments in respect of this matter are in the article. As I said therein: "Ethnic Communities Council of Western Australia Suresh Rajan said he was pleased to see Field’s apology and had no doubt the group would use it as a learning experience. It was a sign of the times and I think we were all less informed, he said. I don’t doubt his (Field’s) sincerity. I think this can be put down to a demonstration of the time that we came from and I think we are far more sensitive to these things now.

19.01.2022 Can I repeat my comments that COVID 19 is NOT to be used as an excuse for people to perpetrate their acts of racism against the Asian communities? It is now ove...r 10 days since I have been asking the Minister and others to issue a statement condemning this rubbish. And I am still waiting for this to eventuate. In the meantime people like our WA One Nation leader get away with inciting racism unabated: See more

17.01.2022 The Minister, Paul Papalia made this brief Ministerial statement to Parliament this afternoon: "Acts of racism and hatred resulting from COVID-19 Pandemic State...ment by Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Interests HON PAUL PAPALIA CSC MLA Mr Speaker, at a time when we are facing unparalleled challenges, I find instances of racism in our community to be repugnant. In a situation where most Western Australians are pulling together to support each other, it has become clear that some people have used the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to create division and hatred. It may be only a few instances, but the impact is felt widely and deeply. I am sure that we have all seen reports of students being evicted from their homes, of racist graffiti, banners and slogans, of innocent Western Australians of Chinese and Asian backgrounds being threatened and vilified. This is criminal behaviour and completely unacceptable in our society. The Government of Western Australia strongly condemns all forms of racism, discrimination and harassment and has zero tolerance for such acts of hatred. As a State we are acting swiftly and decisively on these issues, with police, local governments and communities working together to respond immediately to these deplorable offences. Under this States Criminal Code, racial vilification carries a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment. Anyone engaging in this sort of behaviour will be met with the full force of the law. Unity and the rejection of discrimination and hatred are critical if we are to succeed in facing the immense challenges before us. Western Australia is a proudly multicultural State that embraces cultural diversity and community harmony. This is our strength, this is our resilience, and this is what will see us through. We are all in this together and I have nothing but praise and respect for the vast majority of Western Australians who are supporting each other with compassion and understanding. I am sure I speak on behalf of all members of the Western Australian Parliament in strongly condemning these appalling acts of racism." See more

16.01.2022 Finally had a chance to engage Geoff Gallop one on one after the lecture.

15.01.2022 From the State Government FYI: https://www.wa.gov.au//covid-19-coronavirus-food-businesses

14.01.2022 In the midst of all the Covid 19 news and reaction this probably disappears into the ether. Today is the UN day for the elimination of racial discrimination. Fo...r many years we celebrated Harmony Day. We, at ECCWA lobbied strongly to change that and Dr Geoff Gallop agreed with us. He changed it to a week of Harmony celebrations culminating in a commemoration of the UN Day. Our reasoning herein was that that the UN chose that day as the UN Day because it was the day that 69 black kids were killed in South Africa when they protested the racist pass laws. We felt it was inappropriate to celebrate on a day when people were killed. Heres an article from a few years ago

13.01.2022 Message about the Awards night which was to have been held on Monday night. Now postponed

12.01.2022 Two days - two letters to the editor. Today its about racism in sport/Football: "25/08/2020 Another act of trolling and racist abuse directed at a footballer s...urfaced on the weekend. Michael Frederick was the target on this occasion. It is quite staggering to think that at any time, the racist element of Australian society lies just one wafer thin layer below the surface. For those of us who are people of colour, this is a daily reality. For our Aboriginal brothers and sisters it is not simply a daily reality, but it is also one that has persevered for 230 plus years. At what point will the targets of these racist diatribes and vilifying abuse be able to be accepted as equal members of our multicultural society? It is also self-evident to point out that the perpetrators of this abuse will never make as much of a contribution to our society as will the targets of the abuse. People such as Frederick, Eddie Betts Nick Naitanui are all far greater contributors to our society than will all of the white supremacists combined. It is important that members of our government at both the State and Federal level call this out at every opportunity they can. It is certainly hoped that our parliamentarians will do this. Suresh Rajan President Ethnic Communities Council of WA 20 View Street North Perth WA 6006

12.01.2022 Just a reminder:

12.01.2022 Ever since the Corona Virus was first discussed a number of us (Ramdas and I) have been calling for a strong statement and resources to fight the racism that wa...s flourishing particularly against the Australian Asian communities. Now almost six months later the federal government has done this. We wait with bated breath for something from the State Government: "Racism information campaign The Australian Government has launched an information campaign to support and inform multicultural communities affected by COVID-19 related racism. The campaign has been developed in response to an increase in reports of racist behaviour targeting people of Asian appearance in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign sends a clear message that racism is not acceptable in Australia, and that no one has to put up with it. The campaign includes print, radio, digital and out of home advertising focusing on multicultural communities, with additional information and support available online in 63 languages other than English. All Australians have a role to play in responding to racism, by calling it out when they see it, standing in solidarity with affected people and communities, and celebrating our rich multicultural diversity. We would appreciate your support sharing information about what people can do if they experience or witness racist behaviour." Information and support is available at www.australia.gov.au/helpstopracism, and in a range of community languages at https://covid19inlanguage.homeaffairs.gov.au/racism-not-acc. We will be reaching out soon to ask our community leaders to help keep their communities informed"

12.01.2022 Im sensing that the chances of this letter gracing the pages of a newspaper are not high. I did send this through yesterday. "Lacking Compassion, Brutal, ...Unfair, Inappropriate these are just some of the terms used by commentators when referring to the treatment that has been meted out to people wanting to cross the Hard borders that have been established in a number of our states here. I have to agree that the treatment referred to above does appear to lack compassion. However my question is this When we were doing this to those of our fellow human beings who were fleeing persecution from other parts of the world and arriving here where were these same commentators decrying the detention and further persecution of those people? Before anyone says that those people were arriving here Illegally, it is well established that those people seeking protection are not arriving illegally. At the end of the day the treatment that is being received by those wanting to cross the hard borders is not a lot different to that which we have meted out and continue to mete out to the asylum seekers, in some cases nine years after arriving here. Those of us who are advocates in this area cautioned against that treatment and pointed to the likelihood of similar treatment being dealt to fellow Australians. And that has come to pass. I say all of this with no satisfaction but a great deal of sadness as to the diminution of all of our human rights in this country. Suresh Rajan"

10.01.2022 Press release from ECCWA

09.01.2022 This letter was run by the West today. About Ernie Dingo, Ben Wyatt & casual racism and related matters: "20/06/2020 Much has been said about the incident that ...occurred between Ernie Dingo and a man at the Perth railway station this week. Whilst some of the detail is still being debated we really need to understand what it is we, as a society, can learn from the incident and what it also tells us about our attitudes. There does not seem to be any dispute about the fact that what caused the offence was the use by the perpetrator of a term that has been considered inappropriate for many years. What this tells us is that casual racism is still alive and well in this country. Let us be very clear here. Many commentators will respond that there was no malice or ill intent with the use of that term. For racism to exist there is no need for there to be any intent. An action or phrase can be vilifying or racist even if there was no intent behind the action. And it was to capture those acts under the WA Criminal Code that the Gallop government modified the Racial Vilification provisions to introduce two levels of offence, one with proven intent and one without. Even if there was no intent proven, the crime could carry a maximum sentence of 5 years in jail. We must act to remove any casual racism in our conversations and actions. Language is important and that is something we must all be cognisant of. Our Treasurer, Ben Wyatt, also pointed to some of this racism that has been perpetrated against him in years gone past. For so many of our Indigenous communities this is a reality. In addition to the systemic racism they face with government policy often minimising their position and status, this name calling and stereotyping has weighed heavily. For Ernie Dingo it was cumulative name calling that finally tipped the scales. I would never condone the use of violence irrespective of the provocation. However, it must be understood that all the years of this will eventually take its toll. We must do all we can to eliminate this casual racism. And before those of English Origin mention the use of the word Pom, let me say that I agree. Use of words such as that minimise the Human behind that term. I would not use it and I hope that others will also do the same. Suresh Rajan President Ethnic Communities Council of WA"

09.01.2022 Ben Harvey wrote this piece in The West yesterday about being a grumpy old man. In that piece he complained about "people who get upset at old people mentioning... someone's race when it is not pertinent to the story they are telling". I responded with this letter but it appears the west isn't running it: "28/09/2020 It’s not racist, it’s a generational thing. There are a few issues about this statement made by Ben Harvey in his column yesterday. Firstly, let me be clear about this. For a statement or an act to be racist, there is no need to establish the intent of the person. An act or statement can be racist even if there was no intent behind the statement (as appears to be the case with Ben’s Aunty!). What we generally look at is the outcome of the action or statement. Our WA Criminal Code reflects this and can impose a penalty even when the intent is unproven. This is the Lesser Penalty in the Code. Secondly, I worked extensively with WA Police in the past to remove the use of ethnic descriptors in reporting crimes. Our motivation in pushing this issue through to fruition was the potential stereotyping that tends to occur. In the past we referred to crimes that were allegedly perpetrated by people of Middle Eastern or Asian or African descent. The futility of these terms is readily apparent. For example, in Britain, the term Asian generally includes those of Indian and Pakistani origin. Here it doesn’t. Further, people of Turkish origin could be considered either Asian or European or even Middle Eastern. And a White South African is as much an African as is a Black Zimbabwean. Ethnic Descriptors too may be a generational thing, but they certainly have the potential to be used as a stereotype to typecast the majority of the people of that perceived ethnic group. So unfortunately for Ben’s Aunty, she would probably run foul of advocacy campaigns I may run in this space! And if it is not pertinent to the story they are telling then why use a descriptor of any kind? Sincerely Suresh Rajan President, ECCWA 20 View Street North Perth 6006 0403 276 960"

09.01.2022 Had sent this letter to the editor of our daily newspaper. They havent run it and I suspect that I might be waiting an awful long time for any future letters b...eing published therein. I did take a dig at them in this letter about their Modesty Blaise f**kup! "In recent days there has been a plethora of letters for and against the proposition put forward by your correspondent, Anthony Negus, for your newspaper to take a stand against the racism that is often promoted and incited by the likes of Andrew Bolt. This stand would then see the removal of his columns from the newspaper. Only yesterday we saw two events that gave us, as a Council involved in the promotion of an anti-racism culture in this country, great heart. The first of these was the removal from the Today show on Channel Nine of that embodiment and promoter of racist hatred and putrid white supremacy, Pauline Hanson. In removing her from their show, their News Director indicated that in this time of Global and National uncertainty it was appropriate for us to be united and supportive of one another and not divisive as she was. The second incident was the release of a statement by the Federal government that went to issues of race hatred brought on by Covid 19 against people of Chinese appearance. In that statement some of the areas of racism identified were as follows: racially offensive material on the internet, including eforums, blogs, social networking sites and video sharing sites racially offensive comments or images in a newspaper, magazine or other publication such as a leaflet or flyer racially offensive speeches at a public rally racially abusive comments in a public place, such as a shop, workplace, park, on public transport or at school racially abusive comments at sporting events by players, spectators, coaches or officials. Clearly this goes to such issues as the promotion of hatred by columnists who have been convicted of race hatred and the inadvertent publication of cartoons in a daily newspaper. I look forward to the editors of this newspaper adopting the same approach as suggested by the Federal Government and Nine News. Yours faithfully Suresh Rajan Ethnic Communities Council of WA 20 View Street North Perth"

09.01.2022 Warning from the department of Consumer Protection here in WA: This man is not a qualified counsellor or psychiatrist or psychologist even if he claims to be. D...o not deal with him and report any contact to the department immediately: https://www.perthnow.com.au//perth-man-tyson-john-vacher-m

08.01.2022 The West ran a letter of mine today. It was about the futility of the Australian Citizenship tests and the changes made the other day. This is the text of the l...etter: "19/09/2020 Minister Alan Tudge has announced changes to the Citizenship test that we subject applicants to. The tests are supposedly now going to include Australian values. Let me make a few points in this regard: I did the test myself and I am pleased to say that I did get 100%. So my comments are not coming from a disgruntled person who failed the test. I have been an Australian citizen for around 40 years. 1. Equality of men and women in Australia- Yes I agree that it is not the same in all countries. We, in Australia, have had one woman PM. Other countries such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan etc have had one or more and a long time before we elected Julia Gillard. Further, in the top 200 companies here, only 10 have female CEOs. So we have a long way to go in Australia to achieve equality. 2. What do we achieve by subjecting someone to a test 4 years after they come here to reside as a Permanent Resident? If they fail - they remain here and function as per normal but cant vote or work in the public service. I dont know that many would lose any sleep over those restrictions. 3. Passing a Citizenship test does not make you a better citizen, just like getting a drivers licence does not make you a better driver. 4. Those things that Minister Tudge refers to as "Australian" values are hardly unique to us. They are good societal values at best. 5. If there was ONE thing that I would rather see the Minister spend money on to help people integrate better and achieve social cohesion in Australian society -I would request the funding of Transcultural Mental Health Networks because we have none. I would ask all Coroners offices to keep suicide Ethnicity data so I can ascertain which cultural groups have a higher propensity to suicide. This will help me also work out what mental health services we need to have. There is so much to do in terms of "getting on with each other" and Citizenship tests achieve nothing in terms of the integration principles. We are also a LONG way behind in testing the applicants for citizenship now. Let us address those things and the issues above before we go changing the questions in the test to satisfy some nationalist bigotry! Suresh Rajan President, ECCWA 20 View Street NORTH PERTH WA 6006"

08.01.2022 You might remember the matter where I attended the Courts with a Muslim lady to address some issues relating to a Dept of Housing matter. As you may recall I wa...s not allowed to attend the discussion with the duty lawyer. I did not want to attend the court room and I made that abundantly clear. At the time I wrote to Minister Quigley and sought his advice. The matter has now been attended to by his staff and this was the response that came in a few minutes ago: "Dear Mr Rajan DENIAL OF ENTRY TO MAGISTRATES COURT PERTH Thank you for your email to the Hon. John Quigley MLA, Attorney General; Minister for Commerce, dated 9 July 2020 regarding your attendance at the Magistrates Court, Perth, on that day. I am responding on the Attorney Generals behalf. I am sorry to hear about your recent experience at the Magistrates Court where you were unable to attend court as a support person due to a refusal to allow you entry made by a Court Security Officer. In relation to your concerns, I am advised that at the direction of His Honour, Chief Magistrate Steven Heath, requests have been made to limit the number of non-essential persons within the court precincts across the state to ensure that appropriate social distancing measures can be implemented to minimise possible transmission of COVID-19. With specific reference to the matter you have raised, I am informed that despite the direction provided by the court security contractor denying entry for courtroom proceedings, you should have been referred to the Customer Service Officer located at the concierge desk who would have actioned your request to attend as a support person. Alternatively, such a request can be made in advance to the court via email at [email protected]. Requests made to attend court as a support person will be referred to the presiding judicial officer for a decision on the basis of the information provided. It appears that on this occasion, regrettably, this process was not followed by the court security officer. I have been advised that the Department of Justice will reinforce this process with the contracted security personnel and also with its customer service staff. Thank you for raising this matter. Yours sincerely"

07.01.2022 Today, SBS launched the SBS Multilingual Coronavirus Portal with news and information in more than 60 languages, to further support multicultural Australia. Mor...e than five million Australians speak a language other than English, and given the complexity of COVID-19, its essential for these communities to have access to and a clear understanding of vital health information. Trusted and accurate news in language is of particular importance with misinformation and opinion around COVID-19 providing further challenges for Australians whose first language is not English. We believe the resource, alongside our deep repository of ongoing language services across radio, television and online, will make it easier for these communities to access essential information to help them to protect themselves and their communities as the pandemic continues. I encourage you to read more below, take the opportunity to explore the portal, and please share it with others. SBS remains committed to protecting the health and wellbeing of our people, while also continuing to keep audiences informed. Earlier this week we experienced a confirmed staff case which led to the temporary closure of our Sydney newsroom. We immediately took measures to protect staff, and are continuing to make adjustments and adapt the way we do things in service of our audiences, as well as with the safety of our people front of mind. I am incredibly proud of the way our teams, particularly those in the newsroom, responded, and SBSs capacity to continue to deliver its essential and comprehensive news and current affairs coverage that night, amid challenging circumstances. With more Australians spending time at home, SBS is also here to entertain, as well as inform. Whether its movies from around the globe, documentaries that share different perspectives, dramas that take us into worlds outside of our own, and food programs that provide culinary inspiration, SBS is continuing to showcase distinctive stories from Australia and around the world, including more than 7,000 hours of content on SBS On Demand, providing much-needed moments of escape. https://www.sbs.com.au/language/coronavirus

07.01.2022 Earlier this evening I was interviewed by Chris Ilsley on radio 6PR here in Perth. We talked a bit about the impact on business here because of fear and ignorance. Heres the audio of that discussion:

05.01.2022 And we learn more of this young boy now regarded as missing at sea. He was 16, came here at age 14, of immense and strong faith. He is believed to have gone in ...the water and saved his cousin who was caught there. Such tragedy - we mourn with the family My letter to the editor, published today in The West: "25/11/2020 And so another young person from the culturally and linguistically diverse community dies at the sea in Scarborough. And yet again we implore the authorities to do something about educating these people coming in from overseas about water safety. This young lad had only been here two years. He came from a land locked country. He would have had little or no exposure to the treachery of the seas and oceans that we may have grown up with here in Australia. Issues of swimming etc would not ever have been a consideration. Personally, I grew up in South East Asia. I have lived here for 45 years. I do not know how to swim. But this is not considered a major failing in my cultural community. Here, in Australia, I would be a rarity. In recent years we have seen a number of deaths in our migrant communities attributable to water issues. It is imperative that we teach some element of water safety to everyone coming to our shores. We hope that the Minister for Multicultural Interests regards this with the same urgency as did Dr Mike Nahan, when he was the Minister. He funded programs to achieve this back then. Sincerely Suresh Rajan"

04.01.2022 Council reiterates calls for calm and caution in relation to COVID19 The Ethnic Communities Council of WA (ECCWA) has again today called for calm to be exercise...d over issues relating to the outbreak of the Coronavirus/COVID19. ECCWA President Suresh Rajan said today I take this opportunity to remind media outlets of their obligations to maintain some level of harmony concurrent with their responsibilities to inform the general public of issues. There are a variety of media outlets that are pushing the COVID 19 virus issue really hard. Whilst we appreciate the issue of informing the public of the dangers posed by the virus, we urge these organisations to remind people that this is not an opportunity for them to perpetrate their racial hatred and vilification against anyone they perceive to present a danger of infection. Dr Andrew Miller from the AMA recently tweeted about the issue and has been quite clear in his comments: Dont panic, dont shake hands or kiss, dont stockpile too much, dont be racist. Do fluvax late March, do call ahead to GP if sick, do have a plan if school/work is disrupted, do reassure kids. Govt - telehealth item now pls. Suresh Rajan said Note the dont be racist comment. What the media doesnt appear to understand is that people like us in the advocacy space have to pick up the effects of the racism generated from their alarmist rubbish. Here are some other matters that have been raised on Twitter: My (Eurasian) daughter was racially abused coming home from school this afternoon after she sneezed on the train. A couple of well-dressed older white Aus. on the north shore line in Sydney decided to tell her she was a disease carrying Chinese. This is no longer a joke. Chinese born female teacher left classroom in tears after bullied by students about corona To protect themselves from virus, students yell "Corona, Corona, Corona" at top of lungs when they pass Asian students. This morning on talkback radio a lady of Vietnamese origin indicated that she had been vilified by someone at a store when she was purchasing a product. The racist epithets that came from the abuser were vile and completely unacceptable in our society. It doesnt take much to bring out the basest, most vile aspects of some peoples attitudes to others. Currently the media is working hard to stoke those fires said Suresh Rajan We remind everyone of their need to quell racist fires if at all possible. ECCWA will take all calls relating to these issues on 92275322 or via email at [email protected] For media enquiries please contact Suresh Rajan on 0403 276 960 #COVID19 #Coronavirus #Racism #Vilification

04.01.2022 I responded to Charles Smith MLC who termed the Covid 19 virus the "Wuhan virus" in Question time in Parliament day before yesterday. I have attached the Hansar...d transcript of the exchange he had with Sue Ellery in Pic 2 below. Pic 1 is the letter as published in the West today. Here is the text of my letter: "18/04/2020 It is extremely disappointing to see an elected member of our Upper House of Parliament refer, yesterday, to the Covid 19 Virus as the Wuhan virus. Charles Smith did this in question time. At a time when I have had to deal with racist posters across five overpasses of our Freeway system, graffiti in a number of places, the exclusion of people of Asian appearance in many service areas, the snide remarks directed at these people and similar exclusionary behaviour, having a member of Parliament indulge in this cheap and nasty blame attribution is incredibly inappropriate. It is the cause of further acts of racism being perpetrated and certainly does not qualify as behaviour becoming of an elected member of parliament. I trust that the Minister for Multicultural Interests or the Premier will deal with Mr Smith in the appropriate fashion. Yours faithfully Suresh Rajan"

03.01.2022 I found this article fascinating and certainly confirmation of the things a number of my contacts have said in the past. Glynn wasnt I talking to one of your students about some of these issues?

03.01.2022 My response to Colin Coulthards letter re Todays Text Christian passages. His letter is attached in the picture. My response is here and it is in todays West... newspaper: "Colin Coulthard (Letters 10/2) suggests that we should use a quote from the Koran in Todays text. We can extend this further and have a daily reading with a choice of a variety of religious texts as our source document. For example, the Bible in its various versions has Gods words to the effect that if there are people who contrary to my command has worshiped other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or the moon or the stars in the sky, and this has been brought to your attention, then you must investigate it thoroughly. If it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, take the man or woman who has done this evil deed to your city gate and stone that person to death. There is no shortage of violence that can be found in the religious texts of most faiths. Let us not assume that the passage that Coulthard quotes is in any way alone. The historical context, the translation issues and subsequent reforms to interpretations of the texts all need to be taken into account when quoting any passage of religious and faith based texts. In a secular nation such as ours there is much to be said for not having any such passage in the daily newspaper. At least the 30 plus per cent of us who stated that they had no religion will feel comforted by this". Suresh Rajan President, Ethnic Communities Council of WA 20 View Street North Perth 6006

02.01.2022 Hi All ECCWA has been working to ensure that we Maintain Social Cohesion in WA since COVID- 19 has resulted in an increase in Racism incidents in WA. We, with t...he Support of the Office of Multicultural Interests, have encouraged the establishment of an Anti- Racism Workgroup which has Government, WA Police, ECCWA and Community representatives to provide the opportunity for community leaders and government agencies to share information, raise concerns and explore solutions to address instances of racism and hatred in Western Australia. In addition, I would like to advise you that the Ethnic Communities Council of WA has launched a Racism Matters Program which allows us to assist members of the Community who may wish to report incidents and require support. The link to this is below. www.racismmatters.com.au ECCWA has an Advocate who can support clients and also we will be in touch with various communities and organisations to offer training sessions on what is Racism and and what supports are available in the Community for assistance. Racism is illegal as per the Commonwealth of Australia Racial Discrimination Act (1975) and must never be tolerated. Please advertise this website and the service to all your members. Yours Sincerely Vivienne Pillay Executive Officer

02.01.2022 My tweet earlier today: Can we please remind everyone that Covid 19 is not an excuse for people to perpetrate racist behaviour? Appallingly inappropriate things happening to our CaLD communities. Call it out when you can. #COVID19Aus #RacismNoWay #WeAreInThisTogether

01.01.2022 The Age newspaper is running this in their Letters page tomorrow: "1/01/2021 Conflicting emotions abound as I examine the change to our National Anthem initiate...d and implemented by the Prime Minister. On the one hand it stops the whitewash of 60-80,000 years of First Nations Peoples history. And this is a welcome start to a change process which needs to be far more pervasive. On the other hand, the change is being implemented at a time when this same government has imprisoned, on Christmas Island, a family of four, two of whom are born in Australia. Priya and Nades and their two girls have now been in detention for more than one thousand days. Whatever their status, we cannot be one and free while these people languish in their detention centre. There are also many Aboriginal people wrongfully detained for petty crimes that defy the meaning of the phrase as changed by the PM. Sincerely Suresh Rajan" #HomeToBilo #FreeThemNow #priyaandnades