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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/feb/16/override-hate-speech-laws-to-allow-marriage-equality-debate-urges-christian-lobby
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| Override hate speech laws to allow marriage equality debate, urges Christian lobby | Override hate speech laws to allow marriage equality debate, urges Christian lobby |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Australian Christian Lobby has called on the federal government to permanently override anti-discrimination laws to ensure those pushing for a no vote can speak their mind on same-sex marriage. | The Australian Christian Lobby has called on the federal government to permanently override anti-discrimination laws to ensure those pushing for a no vote can speak their mind on same-sex marriage. |
| The ACL’s managing director, Lyle Shelton, said he was concerned state anti-discrimination laws in particular had a low threshold which would prevent a rigorous no campaign in the lead-up to a plebiscite. | The ACL’s managing director, Lyle Shelton, said he was concerned state anti-discrimination laws in particular had a low threshold which would prevent a rigorous no campaign in the lead-up to a plebiscite. |
| “We need to have the ability for a free debate in this plebiscite and at the moment, state-based anti-discrimination laws have a very low threshold for what constitutes discrimination,” Shelton told Guardian Australia. “It is creating a chilling effect on free speech.” | “We need to have the ability for a free debate in this plebiscite and at the moment, state-based anti-discrimination laws have a very low threshold for what constitutes discrimination,” Shelton told Guardian Australia. “It is creating a chilling effect on free speech.” |
| Related: Children at risk of negative messages in marriage equality plebiscite, Senate told | Related: Children at risk of negative messages in marriage equality plebiscite, Senate told |
| Shelton said he wanted the anti-discrimination legislation relaxed permanently rather than just in the lead-up to the vote on same-sex marriage. | Shelton said he wanted the anti-discrimination legislation relaxed permanently rather than just in the lead-up to the vote on same-sex marriage. |
| He said the case of Archbishop Julian Porteous, who last year was the subject of a complaint to Tasmania’s anti-discrimination commissioner after an anti-marriage equality booklet published by the Catholic church was distributed to 12,000 schools, was an example of why the law had a “low threshold”. | He said the case of Archbishop Julian Porteous, who last year was the subject of a complaint to Tasmania’s anti-discrimination commissioner after an anti-marriage equality booklet published by the Catholic church was distributed to 12,000 schools, was an example of why the law had a “low threshold”. |
| “The booklet they produced about marriage was gentle and respectful,” Shelton said. “A lot of people are very concerned that if it can happen to Archbishop Porteous it can happen to anyone. | “The booklet they produced about marriage was gentle and respectful,” Shelton said. “A lot of people are very concerned that if it can happen to Archbishop Porteous it can happen to anyone. |
| “Already if you speak out you’re called a bigot or a homophobe. Just look at my Twitter feed. I’m constantly demonised.” | “Already if you speak out you’re called a bigot or a homophobe. Just look at my Twitter feed. I’m constantly demonised.” |
| If the majority of Australians voted yes for same-sex marriage, Shelton feared the anti-discrimination laws would lead to people in favour of traditional marriage between a man and a woman being vilified and brought before human rights commissions. | If the majority of Australians voted yes for same-sex marriage, Shelton feared the anti-discrimination laws would lead to people in favour of traditional marriage between a man and a woman being vilified and brought before human rights commissions. |
| “Suddenly marriage will be redefined for millions of Australians who want to teach their children through Christian and Muslim schools about the true definition of marriage,” he said. | “Suddenly marriage will be redefined for millions of Australians who want to teach their children through Christian and Muslim schools about the true definition of marriage,” he said. |
| “That will be a huge vulnerability in future, you’ll really be talking about something which for many people becomes offensive and they’ll have the law of the land behind them which will mean you only have to be offended to accuse someone of committing an offence.” | “That will be a huge vulnerability in future, you’ll really be talking about something which for many people becomes offensive and they’ll have the law of the land behind them which will mean you only have to be offended to accuse someone of committing an offence.” |
| The Turnbull government is consulting those for and against marriage equality to determine how a campaign might work. Shelton told Guardian Australia that he and his office had appealed for the laws to be changed during consultations about the no campaign with the attorney general. | The Turnbull government is consulting those for and against marriage equality to determine how a campaign might work. Shelton told Guardian Australia that he and his office had appealed for the laws to be changed during consultations about the no campaign with the attorney general. |
| During a Senate committee hearing in September examining how a plebiscite might be held, the committee was told the children of parents in same-sex relationships faced being “bombarded” with anti same-sex marriage messages from the no campaign. | During a Senate committee hearing in September examining how a plebiscite might be held, the committee was told the children of parents in same-sex relationships faced being “bombarded” with anti same-sex marriage messages from the no campaign. |
| Shelton told Fairfax Media those in the no camp were not seeking to say anything bigoted by having the anti-discrimination laws relaxed but wanted to put forward the argument that marriage should only be between a man and a woman. | Shelton told Fairfax Media those in the no camp were not seeking to say anything bigoted by having the anti-discrimination laws relaxed but wanted to put forward the argument that marriage should only be between a man and a woman. |
| The Australian Marriage Equality national director, Rodney Croome, said the ACL needed to “answer some serious questions” about why it needed the anti-discrimination laws to be overridden. | The Australian Marriage Equality national director, Rodney Croome, said the ACL needed to “answer some serious questions” about why it needed the anti-discrimination laws to be overridden. |
| “The Australian Christian Lobby’s demand to have anti-discrimination laws suspended points to one of our chief fears about a plebiscite; that it will become a platform for hate and vilification,” he said. | “The Australian Christian Lobby’s demand to have anti-discrimination laws suspended points to one of our chief fears about a plebiscite; that it will become a platform for hate and vilification,” he said. |
| Related: Marriage equality v religious freedom. They are not mutually exclusive | Rodney Croome | Related: Marriage equality v religious freedom. They are not mutually exclusive | Rodney Croome |
| “The Australian Christian Lobby needs to answer some serious questions including what it intends to say that will breach anti-hate laws, and how it expects eight state and territory governments to willingly suspend their anti-hate provisions”. | “The Australian Christian Lobby needs to answer some serious questions including what it intends to say that will breach anti-hate laws, and how it expects eight state and territory governments to willingly suspend their anti-hate provisions”. |
| He said both the yes and no camps should be mature enough to work on a respectful debate. | He said both the yes and no camps should be mature enough to work on a respectful debate. |
| The Australian Greens marriage equality spokesman, Senator Robert Simms, urged the federal government to reject the ACL’s proposal, saying it would expose same-sex couples to hatred. | The Australian Greens marriage equality spokesman, Senator Robert Simms, urged the federal government to reject the ACL’s proposal, saying it would expose same-sex couples to hatred. |
| “These laws are designed to protect Australians from acts of hatred, vilification and incitement,” Simms said. “By advocating for these laws to be suspended the Australian Christian Lobby has let the cat of the bag and exposed its intention to run an ugly and discriminatory campaign against marriage equality.” | “These laws are designed to protect Australians from acts of hatred, vilification and incitement,” Simms said. “By advocating for these laws to be suspended the Australian Christian Lobby has let the cat of the bag and exposed its intention to run an ugly and discriminatory campaign against marriage equality.” |
| The shadow attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, said no one gets to suspend hate speech laws to win an argument. | |
| “If you need to offend in order to convince, you’ve already lost,” he said. |