Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The Attorney-General today has announced that the Abbott government wants to change laws which protect Australians from bigotry and hate speech. Prime Minister why is removing antiracism laws, which have protected Australians for almost 20 years, such a high priority of the Abbott government?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is certainly not the only priority of this government. Our priorities are scrapping the carbon tax and boosting the families' incomes, scrapping the mining tax and boosting investment in jobs, cutting red tape and boosting productivity and economic activity, and getting freer trade agreements in place so that our agricultural exporters will get a fair go at last in the wider world. We are advancing on a wide front to the rescue of this nation. That is what we are doing, but part of what we are doing—

Mr Shorten interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition will desist!

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Let me point out to the Leader of the Opposition that the repeal of section 18C in its current form was a policy and a position that we took to the last election. It was in place for at least 12 months, before the last election, and now the Leader of Opposition is choosing to play politics—in an attempt to engage in a bit of dog whistling on this issue, just like they engaged in a bit of dog whistling on 457 visas.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. That comment should be withdrawn. The people who are giving permission for racism should not be using terms like that.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. We are not going to be lectured by the party of the Carolyn Habib leaflet in the South Australian state election campaign. The hypocrites on the other side should withdraw the statements they made earlier in question time.

Opposition members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There will be silence! The Prime Minister has the call.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Let me make it absolutely crystal clear. I believe that the members opposite are serious about wanting to protect and preserve free speech, but I hope they will also believe that members on this side of the chamber are serious about wanting to ensure that there is no place for racism in our society. That is why what we are doing with the exposure draft legislation, which was released today, is clearly prohibiting racial vilification and racial intimidation by providing for reasonable debate in the robust democracy that is this country.