“And though Jewish Australians are rightly at the centre of concern right now, Jewish community leaders publicly support legislation that protects more than just race.”
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The Executive Council of Australian Jewry on Tuesday released a statement in response to the draft legislation, saying it was welcome, but did not go far enough to protect other groups.
“Promoting hatred on the basis of other inherent attributes such as gender identity, sexual orientation, age or disability will not be proscribed. People who are targeted for hatred on the basis of these other attributes are equally entitled to protection,” council co-CEO Peter Wertheim said.
In a statement to this masthead, Multicultural Affairs Minister Anne Aly said the government was “open to considering extending the protections to other types of hate,” once the bill set to be introduced next week passes parliament.
During a television appearance on Tuesday morning Health Minister Mark Butler also shared the government’s openness to “considering an extension of the details of that bill”, listing disability, gender, sexuality and “a range of other things” as potential focus areas. Butler said the government was “unapologetically” focused on addressing antisemitism at present.
The bill will need the support of the Coalition or the Greens to pass the Senate, but both have expressed concern over the bill. The Nationals are arguing against gun reforms, while some Liberals fear the bill may impede religious freedoms.
The Greens have argued the limiting of hate speech protections to race is inappropriate, saying it should be extended to all protected groups. They have also expressed concern over the public’s ability to criticise “the actions of foreign governments” under the reforms.
Greens MPs are deliberating their position after leader Larissa Waters spoke with Albanese on Monday afternoon. Sources within the party said a position had not been reached, but MPs were comforted by the government’s perceived willingness to extend the laws after next week’s bill passes.
Equality Australia Legal Director Heather Corkhill called for an extension of the bill, saying: “No one should be targeted because of their race or religion - and no one should be targeted because of their sexuality or gender identity. If hate is unacceptable for one group, it must be unacceptable for all”.
