The Hindu Council of Australia has an obligation to inform its community about the policies and approaches political parties take on key issues that affect them.
The Queensland election serves as a clear example of the increasingly important role organisations like the Hindu Council play in ensuring that the community makes informed decisions that impact their ability to practice their faith and feel safe and secure in our country.
It became evident that Hindus, along with the Jewish community, expressed a strong desire to put the Greens last at the Queensland state election and the results of this approach by the Hindu Council of Australia to encourage this speak for themselves.
We hope this outcome provides the Greens with an opportunity to reflect deeply on the election results and consider the various communities around Australia that feel targeted and endangered by their rhetoric.
The Greens have a long road ahead to regain the trust of the Hindu community after a year filled with divisive comments and a concerning tone. We expect more from our elected officials than we have witnessed recently, and until genuine change occurs, we will continue to urge our community to place the Greens last on their ballots.
The Hindu Council of Australia has a proud history of respecting and championing Australian values.
Recently, the HCA launched the “We Acknowledge, We Admire and We Aspire” campaign. This initiative includes acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land, paying our respects, and recognising Australia’s roots and origins. Importantly, it highlights key principles for Hindus to uphold:
– Freedom and dignity of the individual
– Freedom of speech, religion, and association
– Rule of law
– Democracy
– Fair go
– Mutual respect, tolerance, and compassion
– English as the national language
The Hindu Council is proud of our history and growth as both Australians and Hindus. We are thankful to our community for the contributions they make to this country and the warm embrace we’ve received in a nation that offers a safe, values-based home for our fastest-growing religion in Australia.
In the 1970s, our population was barely 10,000, and now there are approximately one million of us. This growth is no accident.
Recently, the Hindu community, alongside two champions of cohesion, democracy, and values-based advocacy played a key role in implementing legislation to ban Nazi symbols in New South Wales and across the nation.
One of these Australian-born champions, Darren Bark, Co-chair Faith NSW stated at the time, “On the horizon, there are clear signs of hostility and hate, and the day that this legislation becomes not only desirable but absolutely necessary is unfortunately not far off.”
He also noted that “the legislation aims not only to ban Nazi symbols but also to provide a platform for education and empowerment for the Hindu community by freeing the sacred swastika from its misappropriation by the Nazis.”
The entire Hindu community is grateful for this long-term vision. It is clear that the cracks of hatred that appeared during peaceful times have turned into significant fractures during recent challenges.
The work of individuals like Darren Bark and Murray Norman from Faith NSW and Better Balanced Futures speaks volumes about the spirit of all Australians. It confirms that the people of this country predominantly strive to enrich not only their own lives but also the lives of everyone in Australia. Hindus are grateful to all Australians for sharing the bounty of this land so generously.
During these challenging times, let us remember and take solace in what we already know: we live in the luckiest country in the world.
