Now is the worst time to weaken Tas hate speech laws

MOVE WOULD GIVE GREEN LIGHT TO HATE DURING POSTAL VOTE

Tasmanian LGBTI community advocates say now is the worst time to weaken the state’s legal protections against hateful language.

This Thursday the state Upper House is expected to debate a Government bill weakening protections in the Anti-Discrimination Act against offensive, humiliating and hateful language if it is the name of religion. A separate amendment flagged by Tanya Rattray MLC would allow all offensive, humiliating and intimidating language.

Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said,

“With the marriage equality postal vote looming, now is the very worst time for Parliament to be sending the message that hate speech is okay.”

“As Tasmanians we must unite against hate, not give it the green light.”

“This is not a matter of free speech because similar laws already protect state government officials, including Upper House members, from offensive, humiliating and hateful language.”

“It would be the height of hypocrisy for the Upper House to remove protections for powerless and vulnerable people while retaining protections for themselves.”

Mr Croome called on Upper House member, Rosemary Armitage, to honour her election pledge not to support the proposed amendments.

Ahead of her re-election in May, Mrs Armitage, responded to a survey from disability groups asking her to vote against any amendments. She wrote,

“Initially, I felt the words (in the Anti-Discrimination Act) were subjective, however following many letters from disability groups and others I made the statement in Parliament that I could not support removing the words without consultation with these disability groups for their input. Our vulnerable must be protect at all costs.”

Tasmania has the nation’s most comprehensive laws against offensive, humiliating and hateful language.

These laws were passed partly in response to the hate-filled debate on decriminalising homosexuality in the 1990s.

However, in recent years most complaints under these have been from people with disabilities.
Rodney Croome, just.equal