Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I want it to be civil—of course I want it to be civil—but in the end the truth is that, when people are arguing things that they feel passionately about, it will inevitably be at times offensive, at times insulting, and I do not believe that the mere fact that someone might be put off by what is being said should mean that the person speaking should feel the full sanction of law against them. That is our position. I reject any suggestion from the member who asked the question that Australia is a bigoted country. We are not. We are a decent and a fair country. Yes, occasionally people give in to unworthy impulse in this country, as in others, but we are the freest, the fairest and the most decent country on earth.

See this speech in context