Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Attorney-General, Senator Brandis. Attorney, you said yesterday that people have a right to be bigots. Today you have unveiled changes to the Racial Discrimination Act which enshrine that right in law. Racial abuse and hate speech are not criminal offences under the current act and are generally dealt with via mediation. If someone is called a 'chink', a 'boong' or a 'wog', they can, under the current law, rightly seek mediation and an apology from the aggressor. Minister, why is this government so keen to take away this basic right and give people free rein to abuse others at will?