The following Media Release was issued by a group of concerned women on 27 February 2006.

"The same trick for 10 years: Howard and the race card

The Prime Minister John Howard and his government have marked ten years in office with "a new low" in the scapegoating of Muslim Australians according to a statement issued today by a coalition of women from politics, academia and a wide range of community organisations.

The statement, backed by 30 organisations and 300 individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, accuses the Government of wilfully deploying prejudice and dog whistle politics during its ten years, "most recently in John Howard and Peter Costello's inflammatory comments about Australian Muslims."

Associate Professor Heather Goodall from the University of Technology, Sydney - a member of the Women and Reform of Migration (WARM) Network that has sponsored the statement - said Australia's political leaders appeared to be in a competition to see who could produce the most provocative statement against Muslim Australians.

"The recent comments by Danna Vale, John Howard and now Peter Costello are the culmination of a government that began with stoking fears over Asian immigration and Indigenous land rights," Associate Professor Goodall said.

"These official anti-Muslim generalisations are both wrong and irresponsible because they signal that it is all right to scapegoat Australian Muslims and inflict violence and discrimination on Muslim women and girls in particular.

The joint statement takes particular issue with the Prime Minister's remark that the Muslim community's attitudes towards women are 'out of line with mainstream Australian society'.

"If the Prime Minister seriously believes traditional Aussie beach culture respects women, then he needs to revisit the classic Australian text Puberty Blues for a reality check."

The statement challenges the Prime Minister to show his concern for "the countless Muslim Australian women and girls who have been attacked and abused, including having their scarves pulled off, by 'mainstream' Anglo Celtic Australians." It asks, "Why doesn't this extreme form of violence against women and girls warrant his special attention?"

Organisations represented include women's refuges and health centres, the Ethnic Communities Council of NSW, the Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women's Coalition, the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW, and the Western Sydney Community Forum.

The WARM Network has called on all Australian women MPs to support the
statement. The full statement and list of signatories follows.

Further Information:

Associate Professor Heather Goodall, 0412 925 051, Heather.Goodall@uts.edu.au,
Dr Christina Ho (UTS), 0401 313 964, Christina.Ho@uts.edu.au or
Vivi Germanos-Koutsounadis, (02) 9569 1288, vivi.k@eccfcsc.org

Joint Statement from 300 Australian Women:
We Condemn John Howard's 10 Years of Playing the Race Card

We are a group of Australian women from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds who stand together in condemning the Prime Minister for the peddling of his Islamophobic views.

After ten years of playing the race card, the Prime Minister's inflammatory comments about Muslim Australians this week represent a new low for community relations. Recently, it was Federal Coalition member Danna Vale demonising Muslim women as little more than breeders. Last week the Prime Minister racially sledged the Muslim community by singling them out as antagonistic to Australian culture. Howard was unambiguous in his racialised message when he stated, 'It is not a problem that we have ever faced with other immigrant communities who become easily absorbed by Australia's mainstream.'

The Prime Minister fails to show any knowledge of either the history of immigration in Australia or the experiences of waves of immigrants who have suffered similar racialised views and assaults by his own ethnic group. His comments demonstrate both prejudice and ignorance writ large.

We take particular issue with the Prime Minister's remark that the 'Islamic community's attitudes towards women are out of line with mainstream Australian society'. The very same accusation that a 'culture' has 'poor attitudes to women' was used by Anglo settlers in Australia to attack Aboriginal communities from the earliest days of colonisation. Such accusations were made against each new group of incoming migrants as a way to assert superiority, to whip up the fears of the existing population and to keep control over the latest arrivals.

Extreme attitudes towards women are not unique to Muslims, or to any other group for that matter. To say so is playing tawdry politics. Respect for women in both the public and private sphere has never been high in any society, and Anglo Australia is no different. If the Prime Minister seriously believes traditional Aussie beach culture respects women, then he needs to revisit the classic Australian text Puberty Blues for a reality check.

While the Prime Minister publicly demonstrates his ignorance about history and wilfully whitewashes his own ethnic group's attitudes towards women, he shows even less knowledge about Islam. His comments display a serious ignorance of the religion itself, and of the diversity of practices and views of thousands of its followers. The ongoing Islamophobic views being expressed through the media via politicians like John Howard directly feed and propel the attacks on the Australian Muslim community, the Cronulla race riots being the end result. Where is the Prime Minister's concern for the countless Muslim Australian women and girls who have been attacked, abused, spat upon and had their scarves pulled off by mainstream Anglo Australians? Why doesn't this extreme form of violence against women and girls warrant his special attention?

Finally, the Prime Minister asserts that it is his 'right and duty to express his thoughts'. As Prime Minister of a multi-racial, multi-faith nation, we believe it is the duty of a Prime Minister to show political and moral leadership, and not to pander to the lowest common denominators, those being ignorance, fear and prejudice. Sexist and misogynist views are widespread throughout the entirety of the Australian population. No one community has a monopoly on poor attitudes to women. It crosses party lines.

How ironic that these latest comments coincide with the public release of a Sydney Morning Herald commissioned poll of voter attitudes which has found that half of voters believe Australia has become a meaner place in the ten years since John Howard became Prime Minister. Is it any wonder with a sledger for a Prime Minister? What a legacy!

Signed:

1. Assam Association of Australia;
2. Beryl Women Inc. Canberra
3. CODEPINK: Women for Peace
4. Essie Women's Refuge Inc
5. Ethnic Child Care Family and Community Services Co-operative Ltd.
6. Ethnic Communities Council of NSW
7. Fraternal Society of Tripoli and Mena District
8. Greek Orthodox Community of NSW Ltd.
9. Immigrant Women's Speakout Association NSW
10. International Socialist Organisation
11. Kingsford Legal Centre
12. Korean Australian Women's Forum
13. Lebanese Welfare Council
14. Liverpool Women's Health Centre
15. Project Respect
16. Radical Women (Australian Section)
17. Redfern Residents for Reconciliation
18. Refugee Action Coalition NSW
19. Refugee Action Collective (Victoria)
20. Shoalhaven Women's Health Centre
21. Socialist Alliance
22. Somali Welfare & Cultural Association
23. Sydney Arab Feminist Alliance
24. United Nations Association of Australia (SA)
25. University of New England Community for Peace and Freedom, Armidale
26. Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women's Coalition
27. WARM (Women and Reform of Migration)
28. Western Sydney Community Forum
29. Women With Disabilities
30. www.resist.com.au

and:

1. Antoinette Abboud, Educator and Community Activist
2. Fadia Abboud
3. Paula Abood, Community Cultural Development worker
4. Rebecca Abood
5. Leyla Acaroglu
6. Dr Sabrina Achilles, UWS
7. Alison G Aggarwal, Coogee
8. Jasmine Ali, student, University of Sydney
9. Willow Aliento, journalist/researcher
10. Diane Alley, UNAA Status of Women Network
11. Barbara Aoroney
12. Aneela Babar, University of Western Sydney
13. Wendy Bacon, Lecturer, University of Technology, Sydney
14. Ekta Balu, Social Worker
15. Nicole Barakat
16. Lobna Basyoni, Coordinator, Multicultural Youth Services
17. Faikah Behardien, Muslim Women's National Network of Australia
18. Rayann Bekdache, student, UTS
19. Carmen Betterridge, Liverpool Women's Health Centre
20. Shabnam Bhana, University of Western Sydney
21. Ronice Blair, Western Australia
22. Oriana Blanco, Leichhardt NSW
23. Dr Beatrice Bleile, Associate Lecturer, University of New England
24. Barbara Bloch, Hurlstone Park NSW
25. Sue Bolton
26. Dr Dorothy Bottrell, Youth researcher and teacher
27. Geraldine Box, North Perth WA
28. Mary Brasile
29. Debbie Brennan, Radical Women (Australian Section)
30. Amanda Bresnan
31. Ffionnan Brooke-Watson, Chorus of Women ACT
32. Virginia Brown, Refugee Rights Action Network WA
33. Jane Brownrigg, Torrensville NSW
34. Louise Buchanan, Glebe NSW
35. Professor Chilla Bulbeck, Adelaide University
36. Barbara Burton, Round Corner NSW
37. Belinda Burton
38. Dr Melissa Butcher, Honorary Research Fellow, University of Sydney
39. Emily Cachia
40. Dr Allison Cadzow, Researcher, University of Technology, Sydney
41. Rahile Cakir, Immigrant Women's Speakout Assoc.
42. Fay Carey, Tacoma
43. Raquel Carvajal
44. Michelle Cavanagh, North Rocks NSW
45. Somali Cerise
46. Hala Chamas, Wantirna VIC
47. Mary Chang
48. Rosemary Chopra, Earlwood NSW
49. Pooja Chowdhary
50. Shikha Chowdhary, Assam Association of Australia
51. Jana Cironi, Community Development Worker, Quakers Hill Community Development Project Inc
52. Dr. Frances M. Clarke, Lecturer, University of Sydney
53. Anna Cody, Director, Kingsford Legal Centre
54. Jodie Coleman, CFMEU
55. Janene Collins, ANTAR
56. Kate Concannon
57. Christine Conlon, Lecturer, University of Technology, Sydney
58. Dorothy Cora
59. Jane Corpuz-Brock, Executive Officer, Immigrant Women's Speakout Assoc.
60. Eva Cox, Senior Lecturer, University of Technology, Sydney
61. Hazel Crandles
62. Catherine Cresswell, Bronte NSW
63. Alison Croft, Filmmaker, Earlwood NSW
64. Denele Crozier, Executive Officer, Women's Health NSW
65. Laura Cunningham, Bridge for Asylum Seekers
66. Kym Daly, Brisbane QLD
67. Zouhour Rose Dandachli, Prestons NSW
68. Marg D'Arcy, Kew East VIC
69. Ruth Das
70. Judy Davis, Kirribilli NSW
71. Vivienne Dayman, CODEPINK: Women for Peace
72. Hanifa Deen, author, Melbourne VIC
73. Jude Deland, Socialist Alliance
74. Mary Dimech, Concord NSW
75. Brenda Dobia, University of Western Sydney
76. Hallie Donkin, Surry Hills NSW
77. Helen Dooley, Manager, Illawarra Women's Health Centre
78. Liz Dooley, Parkside SA
79. Dr Tanja Dreher, Research Manager, University of Technology, Sydney
80. Liz Drummond, Woolloomooloo NSW
81. Kelly du Monde, Sunshine Coast QLD
82. Jane Durie, University of Western Sydney
83. Dr Nazareena Ebrahim, Prestons NSW
84. Samantha Edmonds, Surry Hills NSW
85. Lyn Eggins, Asquith NSW
86. Nicole Ekert
87. Jasmine Elashaal
88. Rana El-halabi, Campbelltown NSW
89. Darine El-jarrar
90. Rosie Elliott, McMinns Lagoon NT
91. Sylvie Ellsmore, Co-Convenor, ReconciliACTION
92. Wendi Etherington
93. Catherine Evans, Hon Sec AFUW Inc
94. Dr Norah Fahy, Greenhill SA
95. Jan Falloon, University of Western Sydney
96. Rayyar Farhat, Associate Lecturer, University of Technology, Sydney
97. Mia Faulkner, Health Educator, Leichhardt Women's Community Health Centre
98. Jean Fell, Bathurst Information and Neighbourhood Centre Inc.
99. Elaine Fishwick, Lecturer, University of Western Sydney
100. Barbara Flick, Caloundra, Qld
101. Candi Forrest, University of Queensland
102. Yvonne Francis, Nuclear Disarmament Party
103. Heidi Freeman, NGO Development Project Officer,
Mental Health Co-ordinating Council
104. Deirdre Freyberg
105. Masako Fukui, Wollstonecraft NSW
106. Barbara Gapps, Blacktown NSW
107. Alissar Gazal, Hurlstone Park NSW
108. Lisa George, Double Bay NSW
109. Vivi Germanos-Koutsounadis O.A.M., Council member, Greek Orthodox Community of NSW
110. Anna Gero
111. Dr Devleena Ghosh, Senior Lecturer, University of Technology, Sydney
112. Leah Godfrey, Executive Officer, Western Sydney Community Forum Inc.
113. Penelope Goodes, East Brunswick Victoria
114. Rashid Goolam
115. Assoc. Professor Heather Goodall, University of Technology, Sydney
116. Katherine Gordon, Lecturer, University of Technology, Sydney
117. Grace Gorman, Refugee Action Collective (Victoria)
118. Johanne Gow, Annandale, NSW
119. Dr Helen Grace, Adjunct Professor, University of Technology, Sydney
120. Shar?n Green, Drummoyne NSW
121. Annette (Nette) Griggs, Narrabeen NSW
122. Ann Gugler, Canberra ACT
123. Suad Haddad, Dept of Corrective Services
124. Assoc. Professor Jane Haggis, Flinders University
125. Jenny Haines, Newtown NSW
126. Sylvia Hale, Greens MLC, NSW Parliament
127. Hana Hallak
128. Robin Hammond, Invergowrie NSW
129. Hanan Hammoud
130. Evette Hanna
131. Alanna Hardman
132. Wendy Hastings, Sub Dean Professional Experience, Faculty of Education, Charles Sturt University
133. Charity Haynes, Coogee NSW
134. Grace Henman, Aitkenvale QLD
135. Ingrid Hoffmann, Gallery and Museum Director, Hawkesbury City Council
136. Mary Jane Hayward
137. Dianne Hiles, ChilOut
138. Marji Hill
139. Dr Christina Ho, Lecturer, University of Technology, Sydney
140. Jeanette Holloway, Rozelle NSW
141. Dr Debbie Horsfall, University of Western Sydney
142. Marion Hosking, Taree NSW
143. Natalie Hull, WSROC Ltd. Blacktown
144. Janet Hunt, Canberra ACT
145. Pauline Hunter-Knight
146. Shakira Hussein, Canberra Islamic Centre
147. Alia Imtoual, Lecturer, Flinders University
148. Ros Irwin, Course Coordinator, Southern Cross University
149. Donna Jacobs Sife, writer, St. Ives NSW
150. Dr. Pat Johnson
151. Kelly Johnston
152. Kyungja Jung, Policy Officer, Immigrant Women's Speakout Assoc.
153. Jacqueline Kane
154. Nia Karteris
155. Soraya Kassim, Kogarah NSW
156. Verity Keely, Prospect NSW
157. Hayley Kelloway
158. Beth Kessler, teacher, Lane Cove NSW
159. Debbie Killian, Hurlstone Park NSW
160. Elizabeth King, Rose Bay NSW
161. Emina Kovac, Immigrant Women's Speakout Assoc.
162. Irene Koutsounadis, pensioner
163. Sonja Kurtzer, The University of Adelaide
164. Kate Lamb, Councillor, Willoughby City Council
165. Emma Larking, The University of Melbourne
166. Christine Laurence, Blaxland NSW
167. Sylvia Lawson, Adjunct Professor, University of Technology, Sydney
168. Tiffany Lee-Shoy, Blacktown NSW
169. Marcia Leonard, VCOSS
170. Robbie Lloyd, University of Western Sydney
171. Vanna Lockwood, Alexandria NSW
172. Nance Loney, Bellevue Hill NSW
173. Leonora Long, Monash University
174. Jennifer Lumsden
175. Alison Lyssa, Bondi Junction NSW
176. Lisa Macdonald, Socialist Alliance national coordinator
177. Dr Anna Macgarvey, Lecturer, Deakin University
178. Eizabeth Mackie, Hurlstone Park NSW
179. Dr Jill Matthews, O'Connor ACT
180. Dr. Betty McLellan, Coalition for a Feminist Agenda, Townsville
181. Maria McMahon, Coogee NSW
182. Susan McMichael, Armidale NSW
183. Kylie Mannion
184. Melba Marginson, Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women's Coalition
185. Marlene Marquez-Obeid, Canterbury-Bankstown Peace Group
186. Dr. Jeannie Martin, Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, University of Western Sydney
187. Maria Marzella
188. Kris McCabe, Macksville
189. Jan McClelland, University of Technology, Sydney
190. Edna McGill
191. Rhonda McMaster, Australian National University
192. Cate Medcraft, Leichhardt NSW
193. Ann Megalla, Macquarie University
194. Valli Mendez, Project Respect
195. Helen Merritt
196. Rebecca Miles, Charles Sturt University
197. Liz Millen, Hurlstone Park NSW
198. Sharon Millett, Co-ordinator, Shoalhaven Women's Health Centre
199. Jane Mills, Associate Senior Research Fellow, Australian Film, Television & Radio School
200. Assunta Morrone, Senior Policy Officer, Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues
201. Beryl Mulder, Senior Deputy Chair, Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA)
202. Samantha Murray, Macquarie University
203. Douha Najjarin
204. Terumi Narushima, University of Wollongong
205. Nada Nasser, Penshurst NSW
206. Greens Senator Kerry Nettle
207. Kerin O'Halloran, Strathfield South NSW
208. Louise Olliff, Policy and Communications Officer, Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues
209. Sussan Omar, Sydney
210. Katy Osborne, Flinders University
211. Justine O'Sullivan
212. Trish O'Sullivan, Administrator, Queensland University of Technology
213. Goldie Osuri, Macquarie Univ
214. Tony Ovadia, Randwick NSW
215. Angela Owens
216. Nurcihan Ozturk, Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women's Coalition
217. Vivian Pak, Korean Australian Women's Forum
218. Dr Shalmalee Palekar, Lecturer, University of New South Wales
219. Tamara Pallos, Glebe NSW
220. Annie Parkinson, Women with Disabilities President
221. Jill Parliament
222. Alison Parr, Lane Cove NSW
223. Diane Pattinson
224. Diann Payne, TAFE Outreach
225. Megan Peacock, East ST Kilda VIC
226. Bev Pennell, Charles Sturt University
227. Yanka Petera, Director, Australian Arabic Child Care Centre
228. Mairi Petersen, Shellharbour NSW
229. Annie Pettitt, Coogee NSW
230. April Pham, Canley Vale NSW
231. Anne Picot, International Socialist Organisation
232. Judy Pincus, Bronte NSW
233. Fran Press, Charles Sturt University
234. Holly Pyke, Gilberton SA
235. Amela Polovina, Immigrant Women's Speakout Assoc.
236. Dianne Proctor, Wanniassa, ACT
237. Dr Kalpana Ram, Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University
238. Nancy Ramirez
239. Holly Randell-Moon, Macquarie University
240. Anne Richardson, Collaroy NSW
241. Diana Rickard, Tumbling Waters NT
242. Gretchen Riordan, Macquarie University
243. Hannah Robert
244. Dr Catherine Robinson, Lecturer, University of Technology, Sydney
245. Sandra Rogers
246. Theresa Roldan
247. Caroline Romeo
248. Marta Romer, University of NSW
249. Dana Rosinski
250. Deborah Ruiz Wall, Redfern Residents for Reconciliation
251. Associate Professor Penny Russell, University of Sydney
252. Lyndall Ryan, Honorary Conjoint Professor, University of Newcastle
253. Siobhan Ryley, Erskineville NSW
254. Abella Salabao
255. Madge Sceriha, Aitkenvale QLD
256. Dr Katrina Schlunke, Lecturer, University of Technology, Sydney
257. Eva Schmid
258. Dr Ingrid Schraner, Senior Lecturer, University of Western Sydney
259. Dr Jocelynne A. Scutt, Barrister & Human Rights Lawyer
260. Rose Searby
261. Eman Seif, Koondoola, WA
262. Vicki Sentas, Melbourne
263. Tapati Sharma, Project Officer, Ethnic Child Care Family and Community Services Co-operative Ltd.
264. Lola Sharp
265. Jessica Shipman Gunson, University of Adelaide
266. Nizza Siano, Bellevue Hill NSW
267. Joan Silk
268. Gai Smith, Older Women's Network
269. Rosie Smith, Multicultural Access Officer, Penrith City Council
270. Heather Southcott, United Nations Association of Australia (SA)
271. Shirley Southgate
272. Emeritus Professor Virginia Spate, Pyrmont
273. Nadya Stani, freelance radio producer
274. Sally Steele, Essie Women's Refuge Inc
275. Lisa Stefanoff, Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association, Alice Springs
276. Dr Deidre Stuart, University of New England
277. Dr Nikki Sullivan, Associate Dean of Research, Division of Society, Culture, Media and Philosophy, Macquarie Univ.
278. Jen Taylor
279. Gloria Tejos, Community Development Worker, Mid Mountains Neighbourhood Centre
280. Janice Thompson, Petersham NSW
281. Annie Thompson-Kelly, Co-ordinator Community Planning and Development, Camden Council
282. Joanne Thorpe, Subiaco WA
283. Maria Eva Tingson, Philippines-Australia Women's Association
284. Emma Torzillo, student, University of Sydney
285. Judith Ann Torzillo, Glebe NSW
286. Carolyn van Langenberg, Blackheath NSW
287. Manja Visschedijk, Ainslie ACT
288. Giovanna Volpe
289. Denise Voros, Campsie NSW
290. Louise Wadley, Petersham TAFE
291. Fiona Walkerden, Northwood NSW
292. Jeannette Walsh
293. Renate Watkinson, Older Women's Network
294. Sue Webster, Country Energy
295. Julia Wee, Macquarie University
296. Olivia Wellesley-Cole, Friends of Sierra Leone
297. Kerryn Williams, Editor, Green Left Weekly
298. Fiona Winning, Director, Performance Space
299. Kate Worth, Illawarra Women's Health Centre
300. Elsie Yalouris, pensioner
301. Mohsin Zamiri, Sydney
302. Natalie Zirngast, researcher

Sponsored by
WARM (Women and Reform of Migration)