THE HON MARK DREYFUS QC MP
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR NATIONAL SECURITY
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
18C: BOLT SAYS WHAT TURNBULL WON'T
Finally, we have an answer to the question of how much more racial hate speech will be allowed under the proposed changes to Section 18C, courtesy of Andrew Bolt five times as much.
On Sky News on Tuesday night, Andrew Bolt was pushed to explain how many times a person would have to be insulted on the basis of their race before they would fall under the governments definition of harassment:
STEPHEN CONROY: How many insults do you need before you get to harassment? Just give me an explanation. If we take out that word
ANDREW BOLT: Lets say five.
CONROY: So five?
BOLT: But I actually think the Olga Scully.
CONROY: So ones okay but five is wrong?
BOLT: Well harassment is slightly different I guess and it sets a higher bar.
THE BOLT REPORT, SKY NEWS, TUESDAY 21 MARCH 2017
Andrew Bolt has told the truth that Prime Minister Turnbull and his government have been avoiding the proposed changes to section 18C will allow more racial hate speech in Australia.
Prime Minister Turnbull must answer does he agree with Andrew Bolts definition of what harassment will mean under the proposed changes to section 18C? If he doesn't, what is his own definition? What multiple of hate speech that is not currently allowed will be permitted to flourish under the new law?
The Prime Minister can declaim about free speech and political correctness all he likes. The fact is the proposed changes to section 18C have nothing to do with either of these things.
It is about promoting racial hate speech in Australia, and he cannot get away from this inconvenient truth.
WEDNESDAY, 22 MARCH 2017
