Victorian health authorities warn worst impacts of heatwave still to come; Scott Morrison makes antisemitism address targeting Australian Islamic institutions
Attorney General Michelle Rowland Made recommendations to the National Imams Council of AustraliaThe leading body representing Muslim religious leaders has said new hate laws will not prevent criticism of foreign countries or political ideologies, despite concerns the laws could silence debate.
In a letter seen exclusively by this imprint and co-signed by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, Rowland told ANIC president Imam Shadi Alsuleiman that the law “will not prevent legitimate, non-violent criticism of the actions of a foreign country or of particular political ideologies.”
The laws introduced by the Albanian government in response to the Bondi terrorist attack last week allow the government to ban hate groups, tighten visa rules and increase penalties for existing hate crime offences.
The hate groups section of the law gives the home secretary the power to ban groups that publicly promote hatred in a way that would cause a reasonable target person to be “intimidated, fear harassment or violence, or fear for their safety”.
“Most importantly, the current offenses apply only where a person advocates or threatens force or violence against a group, group members, or their property or place of worship,” he wrote, adding that the measures “do not impose restrictions on the ability of faith communities to practice and teach their religious and cultural beliefs.”
Rowland responded to a scathing letter Alsuleiman sent last Thursday in which he criticized the new laws and their impact on political expression and protests in Australia. The imams’ particular concern was whether the new measures would criminalize criticism of Israel or Zionism.
