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Influential religious leaders have urged the prime minister to halt sweeping hate speech reforms, warning the laws could have unintended consequences.
In a co-signed statement issued on Friday, Muslim and Christian leaders said attempted crackdowns on antisemitic Islamist hate preachers could threaten reasonable religious discourse unless reworked.
“A rushed legislative process of this nature undermines confidence, increases the risk of unintended consequences,” the letter addressed to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and senior ministers said.
Among the 27 leaders who signed the letter are Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher, Anglican Archbishop Kanishka Raffe, and Australian National Imams Council president Shadi Alsuleiman.
The organization has expressed its willingness to collaborate with the Labor party to enhance the proposed legislation by eliminating a clause that exempts religious leaders who reference religious texts. This move aims to create a more equitable framework.
“The provisions allow past lawful speech or expression to be deemed as hate crimes, which may expose individuals or institutions to consequences based on past lawful speech or expression,” it said.
Labor has made a last-ditch bid for bipartisan support for the hate speech and gun reform bill after failing to win backing from the Coalition or the Greens.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong used Sussan Ley’s own words to hit back at her after the Opposition leader dubbed the bill “unsalvageable”.
“The prime minister has made clear: we are open to amendments, we would like to see national unity, we would like to see the coalition and the Greens act responsibly,” Wong said in Adelaide.
Criticism has mounted against Ley’s leadership, with some voices deeming it beyond redemption. The growing consensus suggests that Ley’s approach is increasingly untenable.
Ley targeted Wong in the days following the Bondi terror attack, claiming the foreign minister hadn’t “shed a single tear”.
The Opposition had, for weeks, demanded Labor recall parliament before Christmas to adopt a report by Australia’s envoy to combat antisemitism, Jillian Segal, which included proposed anti-vilification laws.
The prime minister on Friday challenged the Opposition to suggest changes to the hate speech legislation.
Albanese, reflecting on the current state of affairs, remarked, “At the moment, attempting to secure an agreement with the Coalition is akin to trying to catch smoke.” His comment underscores the challenges faced in negotiating a sustainable arrangement.
“Our strong view is that legislation that’s dealing with hate and vilification and anti-discrimination can’t single out just one religion and simply protect that,” Greens senator David Shoebridge told Sky News.
The support of either party is required to pass the legislation through the Senate.
A group of independent MPs — including Allegra Spender whose electorate includes Bondi Beach — urged parliament to “negotiate in good faith” across party lines to pass the laws.
The Nationals have indicated their opposition to gun reform on behalf of farmers.
