Racist Taunts Crackdown to Hurt Free Speech

In an article today in the Australian, NSW is considering making racist taunts an official crime after a state wide inquiry because the current anti-discrimination laws had failed to result in any successful prosecutions since they were introduced in 1989, despite more than 27 public complaints about alleged breaches.

The inquiry is considering whether the current law needs to be changed to make it easier to convict people for serious racism, including making it a criminal offence and expanding the law to include verbal abuse.

John McKenzie, chief legal office for the Aboriginal Legal Service, says racist taunts are an ongoing problem and often lead to acts of retaliation.

But he warned against including the laws under the criminal code, saying Australians would "react in very adverse and negative ways" if they felt the government was intruding too far into the field of civil relations.

David Knoll from the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies said the seriousness of the offence should reflect the standards of a society, "The crime of racial vilification should be treated, and we emphasise this, no less seriously than an ordinary assault."

To read more, click here.

Apply for a free trial to TimeBase's LawOne Service, a one stop shop for Australian Legislation at a cheaper price; One of the many services provided by TimeBase.