Victoria’s Allan Government has hit another roadblock in a desperate attempt to push through its proposed hate speech laws after key changes failed to gain bipartisan support. Source: Herald Sun.
In a bid to shore up support from religious groups, Premier Jacinta Allan revealed yesterday the Government would drop its controversial “political purpose defence” following fears it would water down new anti-vilification laws.
A religious defence was also beefed up, with protections for “proselytising and preaching” introduced, after Christian groups and Melbourne Archbishop Peter A Comensoli raised concerns the laws could restrict religious speech.
But the changes still failed to get the Coalition on side, despite the Government addressing its key objections to the proposed laws and calls from Jewish leaders to back the proposed laws.
While the bill would easily pass the lower house given Labor’s majority, a vote was initially delayed over growing concerns it would not pass through the upper house, and as stakeholders, including Jewish and Muslim leaders, lobbied the Government to commit to key changes.
But in preparation for Parliament, Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny penned a letter to religious groups outlining the new changes.
She said she was satisfied that removing the political defence “won’t detract from the aims or the success of the Bill” in a move that secured the support of all major Jewish groups.
An expansion of the religious defence to include “proselytising and preaching” along with “worship, observance, practice, teaching” was also welcomed by the Australian Christian Lobby.
But ACL Victorian director Jasmine Yuen said it was not enough to gain their support, arguing the vilification threshold was too “low and subjective”.
Meanwhile, in New South Wales, the Minns Government is seeking to push its own contentious hate speech legislation through Parliament within 24 hours, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
This is despite facing resistance from faith groups who warn it could erode social cohesion and leave sections of the community more marginalised.
Attorney-General Michael Daley introduced the Crimes Amendment (Inciting Racial Hatred) Bill 2025 into Parliament yesterday.
Lower house MPs are expected to vote on the bill today. It will proceed to the upper house at the soonest time possible, expected to be Thursday.
FULL STORY
Premier scraps controversial political defence from proposed hate speech laws (By Carly Douglas, Herald Sun)
Hate speech laws rammed through NSW parliament within hours (By Max Maddison, Sydney Morning Herald)
