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

Senator Kitching, I can tell you that in the course of considering reform to section 18C I have met with many ethnic community councils, many ethnic community leaders, and not one of them—not a single one of them—has said to me: 'Under no circumstances should you reconsider the language of section 18C.' There are a variety of points about this, as we know, and that is fair enough in a liberal democracy, but please do not tell me that there is any representative of any ethnic community in Australia who has said: 'Under no circumstances should an Australian government even think about trying to rewrite section 18C to make it as effective as possible.' I do not think you will find a single representative of any ethnic community group, Senator Kitching, who would disagree with the government's view that including a prohibition against racial harassment is a good reform measure.