THE HON MARK DREYFUS QC MP
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR THE ARTS
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
STATEMENT
SECTION 18C RACIAL DISCRIMINATION ACT
I welcome the Abbott Government's long-overdue announcement that it has abandoned its recklessly misguided proposal to repeal federal protections against racial hate speech.
Section 18C has served our nation well for almost twenty years. Giving a green light to racism by weakening the Racial Discrimination Act was always a divisive and irresponsible policy. A generation after our nation consigned the White Australia policy to history, it is astonishing that the Abbott Government made a promise in support of the right to be bigots one of its signature policies.
I congratulate the multicultural organisations, the communities, and individuals across Australia who fought hard against the Governments proposed gutting of our race hate protections. But while we have won this fight to retain s18C, it is clear that the Abbott Government, and Senator Brandis in particular, have not renounced their reckless policy because they have listened to the public and now understand the importance of protecting our society against racist hate speech. Rather, they have been dragged kicking and screaming to this point, forced to drop their proposal because of the enormous and passionate public opposition to it.
While this repeal is a humiliating back down by the Prime Minister and Senator Brandis, I remain concerned that given the chance the Abbott Government will try again to repeal s18C. I, and the Labor Party, will be watching the Government very closely.
TUESDAY, 5 AUGUST 2014
