Nova Peris (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak in support of this matter of public importance. This issue highlights the difference between Labor and the Liberals. Labor believes racial abuse and hate speech is never okay. The Liberals believe, as the Attorney-General said, that the rights of bigots need to be protected.

On Monday in this house I asked whether his changes to the Racial Discrimination Act would facilitate vilification by bigots. In response the Attorney-General, the chief law officer of Australia, said

People do have a right to be bigots, you know. In a free country, people do have rights to say things that other people find offensive, insulting or bigoted.

It was a disgraceful statement and it is disgusting. His statement is a green light to racism and hate speech. What message does this send to our young Australians at a time when we are trying to stop bullying? This is an admission from the Attorney-General that his changes to the Racial Discrimination Act will provide for bigotry.

For the record, I am not against free speech, not at all. What I am against is promoting hate speech. I am extremely disappointed that we are even having this debate. It upsets me that we are having a debate about whether the law of the Commonwealth of Australia makes it okay to be a bigot. We are having a debate about whether it is okay to attack someone based on their race or religion. I thought we had moved on. What happened to, 'In history's page, let every stage advance Australia fair'?

You do not have to be Aboriginal or from one of the many international cultures that make Australia so fantastic to be appalled by the Attorney-General's position. You do not have to have been personally subjected to racial abuse to oppose his views. You do not have to be a victim of hate to be offended by the changes proposed to the Racial Discrimination Act by the Abbott government. But I have been personally vilified by bigots. It is a horrible feeling, it is shattering and it hurts to the core of your existence. I played sport at the highest level and at times I was exposed to a mentality that anything that happens on the field stays on the field. But I really thought we had moved on in society. But some of the language I have heard from the Attorney-General in his attempts to defend his position remind me of the attempts by some people 20 years ago to defend racism on the sporting field. In relation to this debate in this parliament, he said:

… we offend and, I dare say, we insult each other every day. That is part of the robustness of the discussion of public issues.

But we are not attacking or offending or insulting each other every day based on race, religion or ethnic background. The Attorney-General simply does not understand or get racial abuse. He does not understand how much it hurts. Racial vilification and political criticism are two completely different things. The Australian of the Year, Adam Goodes, an AFL champ, could not care less if people criticise or abuse him for the way he plays football, but we have all seen the devastating effect racial abuse has on people. They are not the same. During my sporting career, I did not care if people attacked or criticised me for my performance on the field, but I did care when I was attacked and criticised for the colour of my skin and called a 'nigger' by my own Aussie team mate, and I took action against it. Racism hurts.

The changes announced yesterday by the Attorney-General water down the Racial Discrimination Act. Pretty much anyone and everyone can say anything at any time. All they have to do is claim that it was part of public discussion. It is shameful. Darwin, my home town, is a wonderful multicultural city and I know many people will be appalled and personally hurt by these changes. Tony Abbott said he would be the Prime Minister for Aboriginal people. As an Aboriginal Australian, I urge him to listen to Aboriginal people and abandon his changes to the Racial Discrimination Act. Listen to Adam Goodes, our Australian of the Year. Listen to Warren Mundine, the man who heads up his council. Listen to the people in our community who are fearful that these changes mean that they will be subjected to more abuse, more insults and more humiliation.

The Prime Minister says he is opposed to racial vilification, but you cannot be opposed to racial vilification while supporting the right to bigotry. I condemn the comments of the Attorney-General, George Brandis; I condemn the changes to the Racial Discrimination Act; and I condemn those opposite who support the Attorney-General's comments and his backward legislation.