PREMIER Daniel Andrews has slammed as “hateful” the actions of “outsiders” intent on making Bendigo an ideological battleground, ahead of anti-Islam rallies and counter-rallies planned for the city this weekend.
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Mr Andrews said the protesters “wouldn’t know how to spell Bendigo”.
“They’re outsiders in every sense of that word. They’re outside the norm, they’re outside our values and they’re outsiders to the great city of Bendigo,” he said.
“What’s been occurring is wrong. It’s hateful and it’s not in accord with the values that Victorians hold dear.”
Mr Andrews on Friday met with a group of Bendigo’s faith and community leaders to discuss the Believe in Bendigo movement, set up to counter negative perceptions of the city brought by the national attention to the controversy over the construction of the city’s first mosque.
“I’m really proud to see that business leaders, faith leaders, those who provide critical services to the community right across Bendigo – a really big cross section – has come together to create the Believe in Bendigo movement and for that you should be really proud,” he said.
He said diversity was Bendigo’s “greatest strength”.
“Diversity is the greatest strength that Bendigo could have as Bendigo seeks to reach out to the world through trade, through commerce, through exchange,” he said.
“It makes Bendigo an exciting place. That’s not to be feared or protested against, it ought to be celebrated.”
Mr Andrews said Bendigo’s Muslim community was made up of “hard working people” who were deserving of respect.
He said there was a “lot to celebrate” about Bendigo.
“Bendigo is much bigger, much better and much more respectful and inclusive than what we have seen in the recent few months and what we might see tomorrow,” he said.
Bendigo Mayor Peter Cox said as the protesters turn their attention to other regional cities such as Albury, there were lessons to learn from the Bendigo experience, particularly around the use of social media to spread messages of hate.
“We don’t want a small minority dictating to the rest of Australia what the issues are,” he said.
Councillor Cox said Bendigo’s Muslim community was “holding up well” in the face of sustained online attacks.