Contributed from Victoria

Peter Dutton, the Minster for Internal Affairs chose the Christmas period to launch an attack on the Australian African community,  publicly singling out Africans for being responsible for a massive wave of gang violence. He said that people in Melbourne were “scared to go out to restaurants”.

If what he had to say has any truth in it, Melbourne, particularly in the south eastern suburbs and in the west, must be something of a war zone.

This wasn’t the minister’s own invention. He has been following the lead of the gutter tabloid media of Murdoch’s news corporation. This hate promoting organisation, has as usual hired as small host of well-paid scribes to lead the charge, headlining a series of beat up stories that make it look like the reality is all out war and Melbournians are locked up in their homes, too afraid to go out into the dangerous streets.

The Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull joined in the bashing.

Anyone living in the city and visitors know that this is not the way it is.

It is true that a few young people do get involved in gang culture. There are Africans amongst them. But this is more about poverty, lack of opportunity, and rebelliousness. Among those who came to Australia as refugees there may be the legacy of past trauma. This is not about race.

Regardless of this, the reality for young Africans is that they are singled out for special attention. Black stands out. Young African Australians often feel that the police target them because of the colour of their skin. They see the headlines and certain politicians say about them. Is it any wonder that there are those who get angry?

In response, the African community has spoken out and this has compelled the politicians to tone down their language somewhat.

Nevertheless, the attack continues and it spells out a recipe for confrontation. Those who pursue this, want conflict, so they  can use it as a platform for their twisted political agenda. A collection of hate groups have already met together in Melbourne, in order to plan their own action.

News Corporation, Peter Dutton, Malcolm Turnbull and other like minded individuals might in part be driven by the inclination to opportunistically use the issue, as a means to whip Victoria’s Labor premier Dan Andrews and his government. They also have a considerable amount in common with the hate groups, and in effect assist them.

Their’s is a mind set to find scapegoats to blame for the failures of the political system. The hand maiden of this is the promotion of racial division. Then those who have promoted the scapegoat can step in and pretend to be our saviours.

This disgraceful political conduct, which must be resisted by every fair minded Australian.