George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you very much indeed, Senator Singh. I once again acknowledge and thank you for your deep and close interest in this important topic. Senator Singh does not render the full text of the remarks I made to the Senate, because what I in fact said to the Senate was that the Human Rights Commission, speaking through the Human Rights Commissioner, had made certain observations. I did not say, as a matter of fact, that the president of the Human Rights Commission had said something; I said that the Human Rights Commissioner, Mr Wilson, had said something. I think the fact that there is a variety of views on this matter within the Human Rights Commission is itself relevant to the fact that we are having a debate in the community about where the line should be drawn between the two goals that I suspect everybody in this chamber subscribes to of on the one hand protecting freedom of speech and freedom of public discussion and on the other hand protecting racial minorities from vilification.

I accepted entirely, Senator Singh, that different people in good will may draw that line in different places. Professor Triggs, with whom I have discussed this matter on several occasions, has a particular view. The Human Rights Commissioner, Mr Wilson, has a different view. It is the government's view that the fact that there is a variety of opinions about how best to arrive at twin objectives which we all share is a good thing, not a bad thing. That is why the government has put out an exposure draft for consultation and feedback.