By Michael Doran
Yarra Hills Secondary College marked the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence with an assembly on Tuesday 26 March at the Mount Evelyn Campus, featuring presentations by five members of Victoria Police.
College principal, Robyn Drew said that it was a very powerful presentation that helped students understand how racism and discrimination is so detrimental to people lives.
“Having representatives from different community groups meant students could get a real insight to the effect racism and discrimination can have on people,” she said. “I am so grateful to our guest speakers.”
Leading Senior Constable Lisa Brooks, Youth Resources Officer Yarra Ranges said her message was about acceptance and that when she looked at the audience all she saw were people.
“We’re all human beings, it’s as simple as that,” she said. “Everyone is responsible for what they do or say and we should all accept every person for who they are.”
“One of our biggest weapons is our mouth and that’s why it is so important to engage your brain before you open it.”
Jason Cockatoo is an aboriginal community liaison officer with Victoria Police and he spoke openly about the racial discrimination he endured growing up in Northern Australia and how devastating that can be.
“The words you use can really impact the people you say them to for the rest of their lives, “ he said.
He asked students to be the one to call out poor behaviour and to recognise that the problem is with the person making the racial comments, not with the one being vilified.
Constable Kate Mulholland spoke about her cousin being seriously assaulted outside a nightclub, for no reason other than being gay.
“We were waiting for a cab and two people decided to hate gay people that night,” she said. “It was not for anything he did or said, it was just for who he is and how he lived his life.”
She said that the ripple effects from that night were enormous and affected so many people beyond her cousin.
Johnny Tran came to Australia from Cambodia as a refugee and is a multicultural liaison officer with Victoria Police. “My parents were picked on for being educated and we came here to have a life where we feel safe,” he said. “ We all want a life where we feel safe, at school, at work and at home.
“People feel really alone when they are being bullied so if you step in when it’s happening it really makes a difference.”
Sergeant Brendan Summers from the Proactive Policing Unit said that the youth of today are on a journey together and that they need to protect each other.
“Be responsible on social media and respect each other, you are all part of the same community,” he said. “The way forward is to make better choices now and don’t get involved in bad behaviour, it does have consequences.”
