Leah Blyth (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Stronger Families and Stronger Communities) Share this | Hansard source

It's time we discussed the quality of debate in this country. A healthy democracy depends on free discussion and the contest of ideas. But increasingly we see attempts to shut down debate with intimidation, accusations and emotional blackmail. This is profoundly damaging not only to individuals but to the health of our democracy itself.

Recently I raised what should have been a straightforward matter of community concern. At a South Australian school a biological boy was permitted to use the girls' toilets, while girls who felt uncomfortable were told to use the disabled facilities instead. Parents were not consulted, and many students felt anxious, confused and upset. Whatever your views on the issue, families deserve transparency and young girls deserve privacy and dignity. Schools should not make such decisions behind closed doors.

The response I received was telling. Almost immediately, threats arrived from advocacy groups. Their message was not to debate the facts or engage in reasoned argument. Instead, they insisted that unless I withdrew my comments a child would be at risk of suicide. Let me be clear: every suicide is a tragedy. No compassionate person could wish such an outcome on any young person. But precisely because the subject is so serious, it must not be misused as a political weapon. To suggest that raising a community concern is tantamount to driving a child to suicide is emotional blackmail. It is a tactic designed to shut down debate, and, sadly, it is not unique.

Too often in our public life, when difficult conversations arise, the first response is not to argue but to accuse, to shout 'racism', to shout 'transphobia', to shout 'bigotry', and the debate is meant to end. This is not dialogue; it is a conversation stopper and a way of delegitimising people who raise questions in good faith. Australians have had enough.

We saw this again on the weekend when thousands of ordinary mums and dads protested in our streets about issues such as migration and community cohesion. Their concerns were genuine and heartfelt, and deserved to be heard. But those rallies were hijacked by Neo-Nazi thugs. Let me be crystal clear: Neo-Nazis are openly racist and totalitarian. Their hateful ideology has no place in our country. But their presence must not be used as an excuse to dismiss the concerns of ordinary Australians who are worried about the direction of our society. Indeed, the tragedy is that, when mainstream voices are censored, abused or silenced, frustration grows. That frustration is exactly what hateful movements like the Neo-Nazis feed upon. If we continue to shut down ordinary citizens with slogans and slurs, more people will be pushed towards the fringes.

Censorship by fear is not only unjust; it is fuelling extremism. That is why the issues before us—women's rights, migration policy, social cohesion, climate change and the safety of children—must be debated openly, not forced underground. We will not resolve our challenges through intimidation. We will only find answers through respectful, reasoned and open debate. That is the standard of a healthy democracy, and it is the standard we should all demand in Australia. Advocacy in a democracy means persuasion and appealing to evidence, values and reasons. It does not mean silencing those who disagree with you.

Our nation was built on the belief that free men and women can confront difficult questions together in the open and without fear. That is the spirit we must restore. If intimidation dictates which conversations we may or may not have, then we have lost more than a single debate; we have lost the very foundation of our democracy. For my part, I will continue to speak up, I will continue to defend the rights of families to know what policies affect them and their children, and I will continue to insist that our public life must be shaped by evidence, reason and respect, not coercion or fear. As elected representatives, it is our duty to lead by example. We must show that free and open debate strengthens our nation, while division and suppression weaken it. Australians deserve nothing less.