Stephen Jones (Throsby, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is a simple proposition. I was looking forward because I was quite expecting the member for Wentworth to be in here during this debate on this side of the chamber, arguing against the assaults on democracy and freedom of association represented by the legislation before the House. Let's just have a look at some of the propositions that are included within the bill before the House this evening: tripling the penalties for an officer of an organisation for a breach of the new provisions from 60 penalty units to 200 penalty units, and creating new criminal offences, which include putting somebody in jail for up to five years or imposing 2,000 penalty units upon them, for a breach of these provisions. If there has been an assault on rights to freedom of association, it is by the sort of legislation that we see before the House today. When you look at the cant and hypocrisy—

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