George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

I always agree with everything the Deputy Prime Minister says. That is not to say, and the Deputy Prime Minister does not say, that this issue is not one the parliament should deal with, as many, many people have said—opinion leaders such as Professor Gillian Triggs, President of the Australian Human Rights Commission; Professor Rosalind Croucher, President of the Australian Law Reform Commission; Professor George Williams; Mr Warren Mundine; and the Hon. Jim Spigelman.

Jim Spigelman, for example, made this contribution recently:

… declaring conduct, relevantly speech, to be unlawful, because it causes offence, goes too far. The freedom to offend is an integral component of freedom of speech. There is no right not to be offended.

…   …   …

None of Australia’s international treaty obligations require us to protect any person or group from being offended. We are, however, obliged—

that is, by our international treaty obligations—

to protect freedom of speech.