Racial Discrimination Act: Protesters march in Lakemba against changes to Section 18c (ABC)

View Comments ABC About 800 protesters marched through Lakemba streets to oppose RDA changes.

Up to 800 protesters have marched in south-west Sydney calling on the Abbott Government to keep Section 18c of the Racial Discrimination Act.

The march through Lakemba, titled Walk For Respect – Keep 18C, was organised by Opposition finance spokesman Tony Burke.

Mr Burke holds the federal seat of Watson, which includes the diverse and multicultural suburbs of Lakemba, Belmore, Campsie and Strathfield.

Earlier this year Attorney-General George Brandis announced the Government wanted to repeal key parts of the Racial Discrimination Act, including Section 18c which currently makes it illegal to publicly "offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate" a person or a group of people.

Hundreds of people marched along Haldon Street holding banners and signs condemning the proposed changes.

Isabel Mackay-Sim, who migrated from Spain, said if the changes go ahead, she might become an easier target for racial vilification.

"It's un-Australian and unfair," she said.

"Anyone with an accent, we will become targets. We should support section 18c, not change or remove it."

Her husband Rod said the changes were a step in the wrong direction.

"We're going back 100 years. It's divisive and wrong," he said.

Lakemba resident Kathy Kouvas is of Greek heritage and fears the changes could result in more racism and hate speech.

"If the law changes, it'll promote conflict and create a negative effect," she said.

"We want to live in harmony, not have to worry about racial abuse from others."

Bernie Mallary from community organisation Migrante Australia said section 18C had served as a legal protection for the Philippine community.

"Before 18C was put in, we had been copping slurs and racial vilification from many people," he said.

"For example, many Philippine women were called mail-order brides, which is very racist. It's hurtful and derogatory."

Mr Mallary has lived in Australia for more than 35 years. He said the changes would open up the floodgates for racial vilification.

"Anyone could say anything and people will have in the back of their minds that they have the privilege to slur anyone," he said.

"Section 18c is a shield."

The march ended at Parry Park where several Labor MPs addressed the crowd.

Those in attendance included Labor's spokeswoman for citizenship and multiculturalism Michelle Rowland, as well as Jason Clare, Mark Dreyfus and Ed Husic.

"It's the community sending a message loud and clear – we don't want the Racial Discrimination Act changed," Mr Burke said.

"I think George Brandis and Tony Abbott are in a position to just back off on this one."

Mr Husic, the Member for Chifley in western Sydney, described the changes as "quite a shameful set of proposals".

"The job of government is to bring people together, not to find ways to split them apart."

Supporters of the changes say protections against racism are covered by exisiting criminal laws.

The Government wants to retain as an offence any action that would "intimidate another person" and to create a new clause making it illegal to "vilify another person" on the basis of "race, colour or national or ethnic origin".

It argues that the new laws would both allow freedom of speech and strengthen the laws against racial vilification.

The Government has released exposure draft legislation and received submissions on the changes.

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