Bill
Freedom of Speech Legislation Amendment (Insult and Offend) Bill 2018
lapsed, as at 2019-07-01.
- Sponsor
- LEYONHJELM, Sen David
- Portfolio
- Not recorded
Recorded stages
- introduced — 2018-06-27
- second reading — 2018-06-27
- other — 2019-07-01
Divisions
No divisions recorded. Most questions are decided on the voices; this does not establish that a bill was unopposed.
Plain-language summary
Written by a model from the explanatory memorandum; not the record, as at 2018-06-27.
The bill would remove bans on speech that someone finds insulting or offensive from 23 Commonwealth laws.
It would leave in place existing prohibitions on other types of harmful speech, such as defamatory, threatening or obscene content.
The bill would not change the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, which is dealt with by a separate bill, and would start the day after it receives Royal Assent.
- Removes restrictions on insulting or offensive speech across 23 Acts.
- Keeps existing bans on speech that is defamatory, threatening, obscene, or commercially sensitive.
- Does not alter the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 or prohibitions on sexual harassment or insulting witness questioning.
People and organisations whose speech is regulated by Commonwealth law.
Sources
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