Australia’s peak Jewish body warns Coalition against a ‘wholesale rejection’ of proposed hate speech laws
Australia’s peak Jewish body has warned the Coalition against a “wholesale rejection” of Labor’s proposed hate speech laws and urged Opposition leader Sussan Ley to support them.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Peter Wertheim said while he also held concerns over “shortcomings” in the omnibus bill, it would mark a “significant further step” for better protections against anti-Semitism.
“We need legislative reform now even if it is less than ideal,” he said in a statement on Thursday.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“The ECAJ would urge the Coalition not to allow the perfect to become the enemy of the good.
“By all means seek to amend the Bill to remove its shortcomings, but a wholesale rejection of the Bill would not at all be warranted.”
It comes after Opposition Leader Ms Ley accused Labor of pulling together “clumsy”, “unsalvageable” legislation that fails to mention the term “radical Islam”.
In a heated press conference in Melbourne on Thursday, Ms Ley signalled that the Liberals won’t support the Government’s proposed reforms in its current form.
Ms Ley had convened a Liberal leadership meeting overnight, where she expressed concern the legislation has been “rushed” and reservations that it would eradicate anti-Semitism.
Several members have also expressed concerns about the impact the laws would have on free speech, while others say the exemption for religious texts would give hate preachers a loophole.
The Prime Minister Anthony Albanese used a morning radio appearance to accuse opposition of “playing politics” and highlight the division within the Coalition over the bill.
He also called on the Coalition to “pick up the phone” and put amendments forward for the Albanese government to consider.
Mr Wertheim’s statement comes after he told a parliamentary inquiry into the draft laws on Wednesday that Labor should “get rid of” the carve-out in the laws for those quoting directly from religious texts during teaching or religious discussion.
Mr Wertheim had labelled it “totally misconceived and outdated” and added that religion shouldn’t be “used as a cloak” to promote hatred.
The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils president Rated Jnied also appeared before the committee and called for a delay to the laws, warning there could be unforeseen impacts if it wasn’t properly scrutinised because of the “extremely limited 72-hour consultation process”.
