Senator BRANDIS (Queensland—Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate, Vice-President of the Executive Council, Minister for Arts and Attorney-General) (14:42): The answer to the first part of the question is, yes, I am aware of the view expressed by those councils. The answer to the second part of the question is, no, I do not agree. I do not agree because what the government is proposing to do is repair section 18C by ensuring that it does effectively protect against racial vilification, which the section in its current form does not, but does not adopt the technique of political censorship, which in a free country should never be allowed.
In this debate Shorten, Bill, MP Abbott, Tony, MP Gambaro, Teresa, MP Abbott, Tony, MP Shorten, Bill, MP Abbott, Tony, MP Coulton, Mark, MP Truss, Warren, MP Plibersek, Tanya, MP Abbott, Tony, MP Katter, Bob, MP Abbott, Tony, MP Whiteley, Brett, MP Hunt, Greg, MP Macklin, Jenny, MP Abbott, Tony, MP Matheson, Russell, MP Pyne, Christopher, MP Macklin, Jenny, MP Abbott, Tony, MP Stone, Dr Sharman, MP Dutton, Peter, MP Shorten, Bill, MP Abbott, Tony, MP Wilson, Rick, MP Macfarlane, Ian, MP Danby, Michael, MP Abbott, Tony, MP Vasta, Ross, MP Morrison, Scott, MP King, Catherine, MP Abbott, Tony, MP Van Manen, Bert, MP Bishop, Julie, MP Ellis, Kate, MP Abbott, Tony, MP Porter, Christian, MP Keenan, Michael, MP Shorten, Bill, MP Abbott, Tony, MP Bishop, Bronwyn, MP Abbott, Tony, MP Dastyari, Sen Sam Cormann, Sen Mathias Dastyari, Sen Sam Cormann, Sen Mathias Dastyari, Sen Sam Cormann, Sen Mathias Kroger, Sen Helen Cash, Sen Michaelia Kroger, Sen Helen Cash, Sen Michaelia Kroger, Sen Helen Cash, Sen Michaelia Singh, Sen Lisa Brandis, Sen George Singh, Sen Lisa Brandis, Sen George Singh, Sen Lisa Brandis, Sen George Edwards, Sen Sean Johnston, Sen David Edwards, Sen Sean Johnston, Sen David Edwards, Sen Sean Johnston, Sen David Wright, Sen Penny Payne, Sen Marise Wright, Sen Penny Payne, Sen Marise Wright, Sen Penny Payne, Sen Marise Bernardi, Sen Cory Abetz, Sen Eric Bernardi, Sen Cory Abetz, Sen Eric Bernardi, Sen Cory Abetz, Sen Eric Wong, Sen Penny Brandis, Sen George Wong, Sen Penny Brandis, Sen George Wong, Sen Penny Brandis, Sen George Boswell, Sen Ronald Ronaldson, Sen Michael Boswell, Sen Ronald Ronaldson, Sen Michael Boswell, Sen Ronald Ronaldson, Sen Michael Furner, Sen Mark Brandis, Sen George Furner, Sen Mark Brandis, Sen George Furner, Sen Mark Ruston, Sen Anne Payne, Sen Marise Ruston, Sen Anne Payne, Sen Marise Ruston, Sen Anne Payne, Sen Marise Tillem, Sen Mehmet Cormann, Sen Mathias Tillem, Sen Mehmet Cormann, Sen Mathias Tillem, Sen Mehmet Cormann, Sen Mathias Seselja, Sen Zed Fifield, Sen Mitch Seselja, Sen Zed Fifield, Sen Mitch Seselja, Sen Zed Fifield, Sen Mitch Wong, Sen Penny Cormann, Sen Mathias Wong, Sen Penny Cormann, Sen Mathias Wong, Sen Penny Cormann, Sen Mathias