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Hate Speech Bill and National Security

30/1/2026

This is really an UPDATE on my previous post, “Stop Equivocating"

Senator Jonathan Duniam answers ACL's questions about the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Act 2026, which was passed this January. Key points:

Is religious freedom affected?
No, because it must be read with the already existing Criminal Code as the threshold.
(NB: Greens would have retained the original bad hate speech proposals which would have affected religious freedom.)
What is the threshold of a “hate group”?
Activities have to fall under the Criminal Code. And this Act is about National Security.
(NB: Greens would have retained the original version and would have expanded the laws beyond national security concerns to include any feeling of offence.)
Why didn't this Act specify "radical Islam" and “antisemitism"?
Keeping the big principles in view keeps the law for everyone. And not specifying means bad actors can’t wiggle out of the big principle by playing semantics with definitions (eg ‘what’s “radical” / “Jewish”' etc.)
What is the biggest National Security issue of our time?
Policing the laws we already have. We already call for assent to the Australian Values Statement upon citizenship.

The bigger story now is that since 2022, the federal government has underfunded and degraded the capacity of ADF, AFP, ASIO, Home Affairs, National Security Committee (chaired by the PM!), to police bad actors who violate these values. (NB: Greens would make it worse by their recent election policy, “No discrimination in immigration.”)
National Security’s capacity to act must be restored, to detect, interfere, intercept national security threats as they used to. This is the real story from which Labor’s legislative push has distracted us since Bondi. Reported by ADF, AFP, Home Affairs leaders, in The Australian newspaper.
- Paul Scanlon (a former ADF tactical assault group commander and a veteran of several deployments with Australian special forces, in The Australian, Jan 9-10, 2025)
- Mike Pezzullo, who was secretary of the former Department of Immigration and Border Protection 2014 to 2017, then the Department of Home Affairs 2017 to 2023 (The Australian, Jan 18-19, 2026.)
As long as we’re talking about controversial laws, we’re overlooking the culpability of the government over National Security!

The other big story is that Labor and Greens keep trying to limit free speech - especially regarding Christian morals, as per their Socialist views against the church & family.
- Labor offered no defence when the Australian Law Reform Commission denied Christian schools the right to employ Christian staff;
- Labor introduced the Misinformation & Disinformation Bill with loopholes to shut down whatever they determine is untrue;
- Labor introduced the first draft of the Hate Speech with loopholes that would have threatened free speech on contentious issues.
I say, I don’t trust Labor to safeguard free speech and civil discourse, I think they are trying to undermine it, to control us in their way of Socialism.

My previous post applies to how we, and national security, must be free to talk about national threats.

Travel Notes

Israel Tour with Celebrate Messiah

Hate Speech Bill and National Security

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