The Northern Territory Government has confirmed it is planning to scrap a key clause in the Territory’s anti-discrimination laws, claiming it could lead to people being “attacked for telling a joke”. Source: ABC News.
The Country Liberal Party Government’s changes will reverse controversial measures introduced by the former NT Labor government just three years ago.
The changes made it unlawful to “to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate” another person or group because of a personal characteristic such as race or gender, which could result in action by the NT’s Anti-Discrimination Commission.
Labor also passed an amendment that removed an exemption for religious schools, allowing them to refuse to hire people outside of that faith.
At the time, the measures were applauded by members of the NT’s LQBTQIA+ community but opposed by religious groups, who argued they impinged on religious freedom.
Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby said Labor’s changes would be reversed in Parliament this year.
“Before the election, we promised we would restore the freedom of speech and religion Labor’s Anti-Discrimination Bill destroyed,” she said.
“We are not repealing the law in full; our changes will … restore religious freedoms to religious schools so they can hire and accept persons of the same religion.
“[They will also] remove the vilification provision introduced by Labor that prohibits behaviour that could offend.
“We believe Territorians should not have their speech policed or be attacked for telling a joke by a bureaucratic agency.”
Darwin Bishop Charles Gauci said many people of religious faith in the NT “believed that some of our rights were being eroded away” by Labor’s changes.
“We certainly believe we should have rights for our schools to be able to teach according to our faith beliefs,” he said.
“And for ministers to be able to preach, respectfully of course, about what we truly believe.
“I want to be emphatic in saying it’s not about discriminating — it’s about rights.
“We want to make sure there’s no room for litigation.”
The CLP government said the changes were part of this year’s legislative agenda but that it did not have a firm timeline on when they would be introduced to Parliament.
FULL STORY
NT’s CLP government confirms plans to scrap Labor’s hate speech changes (By Matt Garrick, ABC News)
