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Labour’s hate speech laws will be passed by Parliament in an overnight vote
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Labour’s hate speech laws will be passed by Parliament in an overnight vote

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Controversial reforms aimed at better protection of the Jewish community have been passed by parliament, but not without fierce political debate.
The laws allow the government to forcibly shut down extremist organizations and aim to curb the influence of anti-Semitic hate preachers and neo-Nazis in the aftermath of the Bondi Beach terror attack.
Despite divisions within the coalition over the proposal, the government late Tuesday night secured the numbers to pass the bill through the Senate.

Opposition leader Sussan Ley introduced a series of technical amendments that were accepted by the government, including tightening the definition of a hate preacher and establishing stricter parliamentary oversight.

The subjects vote against the laws

Liberal senators supported the bill, while Nationals voted against it, saying it could undermine freedom of expression.
“The legislation needs changes to ensure better protection against unintended consequences that restrict the rights and freedom of expression of ordinary Australians and the Jewish community,” Nationals leader David Littleproud said in a statement late on Tuesday.
Liberal Senator Alex Antic also crossed the floor to oppose the legislation.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the bill was not as strong as the government would have liked, but needed to be watered down to win support.

“The Australian covenant means that if people have any prejudice or hatred, it will be left in the customs hall,” he told parliament.

Hate speech and gun control laws have disintegrated

The legislation allows the government to essentially ban hardline extremist groups, which will likely apply to the neo-Nazi organization the National Socialist Network and the radical Islamist collective Hizb ut-Tahrir.

It will also strengthen the Home Secretary’s ability to revoke or refuse a person’s visa for expressing extremist ideology.

Ley said the Liberals had resolved the government’s original “clunky and deeply flawed” proposal.
Labor was forced to ditch provisions tackling racial vilification due to a lack of political support, as well as abandoning its plans to introduce hate speech and gun reforms in a single omnibus package.
“As a result of the Liberal Party’s action, the legislation has been narrowed, strengthened and properly focused on protecting Australians, not scoring political points,” Ley said.
Alex Ryvchin, co-director of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, backed the crackdown on hate preachers, saying it would help prevent Australians from being radicalized to violence.

“We have no interest in suppressing debate and the public exchange of ideas… what we are talking about is a process of radicalization and incitement to violence, culminating in massacres like this,” he told Sky News.

Possible ‘unintended consequences’

Lawyer Greg Barns, former president of the Australian Lawyers Alliance, said the legislation could have unintended consequences.
“When you read the bill, it is incomprehensible even to experienced lawyers,” he told reporters in Canberra.
The Greens have said they would not support hate speech legislation because of the effect it could have on political commentary, including protests.
“What we have now seen in the last 24 hours is a dangerous bill being made even more dangerous,” said Greens Senator Larissa Waters.

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