Roxon backs down on controversial 'offends and insults' law
Thursday 31 January 2013 @ 12.11 p.m. | Legal Research
In the face of public backlash, the Attorney-General has moved to scrap the controversial provisions of the proposed anti-discrimination laws that would have prohibited conduct that "offends or insults."
The proposed laws are aimed at simplifying the existing anti-discrimination laws by merging them into a single bill, and providing a clearer definition of what behaviour is considered unacceptable. Ms Roxon has now said that her department will be reviewing other options that will achieve the aims of the new laws while not encroaching on existing protections for freedom of speech.
Concern over the proposed clause had been widespread, including Australian Human Rights Commissioner Gillian Triggs, shadow Attorney-General George Brandis, Coalition frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull, and Australia's largest media organisation including ABC, Fairfax and News Limited.
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