Opposition leader calls for Australian government to support "code of conduct" against racism

CANBERRA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Bill Shorten, leader of the Opposition Australian labor Party (ALP), has called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to take a stand against racist Members of Parliament (MPs).

In a letter to Scott Morrison published by Fairfax Media, Shorten asked the prime minister to support a parliamentary code on "race ethics" that would require MPs to recognise and value diversity as an integral part of Australia's social and economic future.

labor MPs endorsed a parliamentary code of conduct in 2016 after Pauline Hanson, leader of the right-wing One Nation Party, warned in a speech that Australia was being "swamped by Muslims". But the parliamentary proposal of the code of conduct was shot down by the government.

In his letter to Morrison, Shorten said that Senator Fraser Anning's recent comments following the Christchurch attacks, in which he blamed the attacks on Muslim immigration, was a chance for the government to rethink its decision about the code of conduct.

Shorten wrote that the attacks "should give us all cause to reflect on the kind of language we use in public debate."

"We know that words matter. We know they can hurt, and we know they can lead to hate and violence," Shorten said.

Signatories to the code would be held to eight principles, including respect for religious and cultural beliefs of all groups living in Australia. They would also commit to speak and write in a manner which provides factual commentary on a foundation of truth, Shorten said.

Both Morrison and Shorten have agreed to officially censure Anning for his comments when Parliament resumes on Monday.