alastairlawrie.bsky.social
Director, Policy & Advocacy at the Justice and Equity Centre.
LGBTIQ+ advocate.
Writer: https://alastairlawrie.net
He/him.
Living on Dharawal land (West Wollongong).
250 posts
660 followers
320 following
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Anti-discrim Commissioner Jeswynn Yogaratnam said removal of the vilification protections would be a "setback for human rights & equality in the NT".
"These changes threaten to strip essential protections for vulnerable communities, exposing Territorians to the risk of hate speech & discrim." 2/2
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“This sends the – surely unintended – message that it is unacceptable to hate someone because of their race, but acceptable (or at least more tolerable) to hate someone because of their religion.” 2/2
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I am also particularly concerned about the precedent this exception will create, should LGBTIQ+ people eventually be added to these provisions in the future, where religiously-based anti-LGBTIQ+ prejudice will potentially be legally excused. 6/
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If someone is *intentionally* inciting hatred, & their actions are so serious they 'would cause a reasonable person ... to fear harassment, intimidation or violence, or fear for the person’s safety', then frankly it should not matter whether they were quoting from or referencing religious texts. 5/
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One additional concern.
The Bill (www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/bill/files/1...) includes an exception for 'an act that consists only of directly quoting from or otherwise referencing a religious text for the purpose of religious teaching.'
This exception is not warranted, & should be removed. 4/
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I acknowledge that, during his second reading speech, the Attorney General, Michael Daley, indicated that the inclusion of additional protected attributes would be reviewed, and then 'considered' in the future.
That's simply not good enough. These groups should all be protected. Now. 3/
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So, no equivalent prohibitions on Islamophobia.
Or misogyny.
Or homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, or anti-intersex prejudice.
Or ableism.
Or inciting hatred against people living with HIV, either.
This is an incredibly disappointing outcome. 2/
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Based on Cabinet leaks from the time, it seems like it was as simple as Albanese not understanding what the question meant, and a) choosing not to better inform himself but b) unilaterally deciding that no other Australian should be able to answer the question either.
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On intersex people, this is a clear breach of the ALP's previous commitments, & platform position.
While the exclusion of trans kids was an act by PM Albanese, based on the 'age of consent' (which has nothing to do with gender identity), & contrary to ABS advice. #Census #auspol #aushealth 2/
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Catholic Education Tasmania's excuse - that they are acting within the exceptions under the Cth Sex Discrimination Act - also reinforces the need for federal amendments to protect LGBTQ students and teachers nation-wide, something the Albanese Govt promised to do, then abandoned. #auslaw #auspol 2/2
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“There is no evidence that protests outside places of worship have any connection to the recent spate of serious antisemitic incidents.” 2/2
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Thank you comrade!
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Seems sadly inevitable at this point.