A draft of Australia’s Combating Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill, seen by the ABC, creates a new federal offense making it illegal to publicly promote or incite racial hatred where the conduct would cause a reasonable person to feel intimidated, harassed, or fear violence. It is combined with new gun restriction laws.
The legislation includes a narrow defense for speech, writing, or other forms of public expression that are solely quoting religious texts for religious teaching or discussion.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has recalled parliament to sit for two days next week to debate the wide-ranging bill
They already have hate speech laws, gun buyback bills, and similar other existing laws, but they decided to combine these gun laws with the hate speech laws.
The omnibus bill also significantly expands federal firearms background checks, allowing intelligence agencies to provide information relevant to assessing whether a gun licensee applicant poses a risk to public safety.
That could be used against political enemies.
Before receiving the legislation, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said she was “skeptical” about Labor’s decision to combine the hate speech and gun control elements.
Political opponents have previously criticized what they believed was an attempt by Labor to scapegoat lawful gun owners following the shooting at Bondi.
One Nationals MP speaking privately said they believed the only reason Mr. Albanese would group the gun laws with hate speech was “politics”.
A Liberal [leftist?] source later told the ABC they believed the narrow definition keeping the new hate speech offense focused on race and ethnicity was welcome.
Everyone is special except the regular white Aussie.
