THE HON TONY BURKE MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER
SHADOW MINISTER FOR CITIZENSHIP AND MULTICULTURAL
AUSTRALIA
SHADOW MINISTER FOR THE ARTS
MEMBER FOR WATSON
THE HON MARK DREYFUS QC MP
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR NATIONAL SECURITY
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
GRAHAM PERRETT MP
MEMBER FOR MORETON
DEPUTY CHAIR OF PARLIAMENTARY JOINT COMMITTEE ON HUMAN
RIGHTS
LABOR STANDS STRONG ON 18C, TURNBULL WOBBLES
As the Liberal and National parties rip themselves apart over their ideological vendetta to destroy section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, Labor is united and firm - 18C must not be changed.
While hundreds of thousands of Australians have been focused on the penalty rates they will lose, this government is engaged in a pointless argument about a good law.
The message from the parliamentary report this week was clear - there was no recommendation to change section 18C. That should be the end of the matter.
But it is not, because Malcolm Turnbull is too weak a leader to shut down the right wing of his own party.
Labor won the argument to protect 18C in 2014 and we will not give up now, no matter how long the government's infighting continues.
FRIDAY, 3 MARCH 2017
