It was a press conference like no other on the campaign trail.
NSW Labor Senator Sam Dastayari, who organised the event, introduced it as the biggest and most diverse media event of election 2016.
Journalists from Vietnamese, Chinese and Nepali television services, the Australasian Muslim Times, Arabic and Indian reporters, all packed into the room with cameras - either on tripods or smart phones - recording Bill Shorten’s remarks for their audiences.
"My party respects the contribution of immigrant Australians," Mr Shorten said.
"I respect the fact that many generations of immigrants who arrived here have gone and worked in construction, have gone and worked in the factories and the textile mills, have raised their kids. They're the late-shift cleaners, they’ve worked making clothes, they’ve made a contribution to this country, they’ve educated their kids with a love of education.”
He raised the hot-topic issue of long-stay family visas, saying after Labor promised a three-year one, the Coalition came late to the party with a five-year visa. He said Labor was willing to give bipartisan support to that once it had looked at the detail.
Media surround Chloe and Bill Shorten. Source: SBS
There was a giggle in the room when I asked Mr Shorten about Labor’s plans for SBS funding, given former Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s infamous election-eve promise for no cuts to SBS. Senator Dastayari laughingly accused me of blatant self-interest and fair enough. But I replied that my question was on behalf of our audience.
Here is what Mr Shorten had to say:
“What we’re saying for people at SBS is that we’re not interested in making further cuts to SBS, full stop. We haven’t been excited about proposals to merge SBS with ABC and we think that it’s important we have an independent SBS. We think that you provide an irreplaceable function ever since you’ve been created.”
For the record, the Coalition delivered SBS an additional $15.3m in the May budget to restore previous cuts.
For much of the media conference, Mr Shorten was flanked by several NSW Labor candidates from diverse backgrounds.
"When they see people from their own linguistic and cultural heritage in Parliament, that sends a powerful message about opportunity in this country," he said.
The large Chinese media pack then got several questions of their own, on the China Free Trade Agreement and the South China Sea. Mr Shorten said he did not want to take sides.
Mr Shorten was also asked about his message for Australia’s Muslim community and answered:
"We do not see that people’s different faith is something to be worried about but rather something to be respected. And what we say to young people in particular in these communities as well, be proud of your heritage and your faith, but never view it as a sort of place to retreat into.
"I think this country works well because of our diversity. I also say that discrimination isn’t a new thing in this country and each successive generation and group has eventually dealt with it."
Mr Shorten made a point to stress that Labor’s policy on gay marriage will carry religious exemptions. Labor is campaigning in favour of legislating same-sex marriage and opposes the government’s plebiscite on same-sex marriage, to be held possibly later this year. With the recent controversy over the views of imams on homosexuality, this is a fine line to walk. It’s not just firebrand Muslim clerics who are opposed to same sex-marriage, but many other faith and cultural groups. Mr Shorten is trying not to alienate them while holding firm to his position in favour of the change.
Before the media conference, Bill and Chloe Shorten spent 10 minutes posing for photos with various journalists and editors. They were mobbed. It was a lesson in targeted campaigning. These pictures will end up on the front pages of the various language newspapers a week before people go to vote.
Labor has the running on this on several fronts, including with multilingual advertisements on SBS. During this campaign, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has on many occasions promoted Australia as the world’s most successful multicultural society and sung the praises of the strength of our diversity. Treasurer Scott Morrison has dropped by small businesses started by migrant families. Greens leader Richard Di Natale, the son of Italian immigrants, has courted the Italian vote in Melbourne, trying to convince older migrants that the Greens aren’t just for young inner city lefties.
There are hundreds of thousands of Australian citizens born overseas or with an overseas-born parent who, while probably speak English, are more comfortable in their native language. Or just appreciate the effort gone to acknowledge their contribution to Australia and their specific issues. Reaching out to them is smart politics.
