People are nevertheless right to value their families’ safety. And our newest migrants face tougher challenges than the rest of us. They have a high proportion of youth; some struggle and a small number become involved in crime. But with Sudanese-born people making up 1.1 per cent of all offenders, and Victoria Police working intensively with communities to reduce that number, is it really worth undermining our fundamentally decent and harmonious state to focus on them? Politicians understand human psychology. They know how to provoke fear in five words or less. But they need also to understand the cost of this behaviour. There are many decent politicians on both sides of the aisle who already do. They know that racial divisions harm our efforts to solve community-wide problems like crime, poverty, income inequality, environment, health and aged care. Yet too often the reasonable voices in Canberra are drowned out by a shameless few. Loading The good news is that Victorians are making their voices heard. Hundreds of local communities across our state have been launching initiatives to fight racism and stick up for migrant families. Last week, North Melbourne Football Club’s not-for-profit The Huddle launched the "Be Brave, Speak Up" campaign in a bid to stamp out racism in sport and the community. This group of teenagers identified racism - not crime - as their main concern for the future. In regional Horsham, local people rallied around an immigrant family experiencing racist abuse in their shop. The Commission has heard about hundreds more anti-racism initiatives across Victoria, supported by multicultural and faith groups and by local and state representatives.

Canberra should be setting a good example for these Victorians; not the other way around. The majority of our state who champion multiculturalism should not have to put up with their federal representatives undermining their communities. They deserve better. As elections approach, Canberra has the chance to show real leadership by truly reflecting the decency of the people that it serves. We are asking it to seize that chance. Kristen Hilton is the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner. If you feel you have been discriminated against, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission can help. For more information or to make a complaint, call the Commission on 1300 292 153 or visit www.humanrightscommission.vic.gov.au.