Australia’s new Immigration Minister says he’ll be soon meeting the leaders of the South Sudanese community to discuss the issue of "gang crime" which he says is of great concern and needs to be addressed.
David Coleman, the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs said there is evidence of gang violence in Victoria.
“Obviously, the issue of gang crime in Victoria is a significant issue. And it is something that it’s a great concern in Melbourne,” Mr Coleman said in Melbourne.
"It’s clearly the case that there has been gang violence in Victoria and that’s something that needs to be taken very seriously and needs to be addressed.”
The Federal Member from Banks said he would meet the community leaders of the South Sudanese community in Melbourne.
“As the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, part of my job is to talk to different communities about the issues of concern and it’s obviously an issue of concern in the community,” Mr Coleman told reporters.
The minister’s comments came despite the Victoria Police’s warning against exaggerating the size of the problem.
"Absolutely there's some problems we have to tackle, but we also have to be aware of what happens as a result of over-exaggerating, and targeting them and tarnishing a whole community," Victoria Police Commander Stuart Bateson told 3AW radio in July.
“It's not related to ethnicity, we've seen murders occur in similar circumstances ever since I’ve been in the police force,” he said.
The warning from the Victoria Police came as the debate around youth crime in Melbourne grew shriller after Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton weighed in on it and said people in Melbourne were "scared to go out at restaurants" at night because of African street gang violence.
Eight Melbourne mayors have called for an end to the talk about so-called "African gangs". Source: AAP
Later, former Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the government was letting in “people who are difficult to integrate”.
"It's an African gang problem, and the Victorian socialist government should get real and own up to the fact that there is an African gang problem in Melbourne," Mr Abbott told 2GB radio July.
The issue became a political hot potato with the Victorian Liberal party sending a pamphlet to voters ahead of next month’s state election.
Former Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane said African migrants shouldn't be slandered this way.
“We are heading into some dangerous territory. The public discourse on multiculturalism, immigration and race has deteriorated. And there is a clear and urgent risk that our racial harmony will suffer,” Mr Soutphommasane said in a speech at the University of Sydney in his final month in office.
African-Australian community leader Maker Mayek said the “gang” rhetoric is an example of fear-mongering and has vilified their community.
"You can't broad-brush a whole community just because of the actions of a few young people. We all call Australia home, and it is important that all members of our communities come together to make everyone feel welcome,” , flanked by a number of Melbourne mayors who stood in support of the African community.
