Craig Kelly exposes the TRUTH about Australia's new hate speech bill
Libertarian Craig Kelly joins the show to unpack Australia's controversial new 'hate crime' laws.
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In the latest episode of The Yemini Report, I had the chance to catch up with seasoned Aussie politician Craig Kelly who is running as a Libertarian candidate for the NSW senate. Our conversation revolved around the newly passed hate crime laws in Australia, which I find deeply concerning for our freedoms.
Kelly began by highlighting the essence of these laws, which introduce minimum jail sentences for what are classified as hate crimes. He pointed out that the legislation includes penalties of up to 12 months for less serious offenses like giving the Nazi salute and up to six years for terrorism-related hate crimes. But he was quick to argue that these laws are far too broad and could potentially be abused, especially under Labour's push to rush them through parliament with minimal debate.
He explained, "Firstly, we already have laws against inciting violence. We already have Section 18(c) for better or for worse," underscoring his skepticism about the government's real intentions with these laws. Kelly believes they're more about a power grab than about protecting communities, pointing out the existing laws that should have been sufficient to deal with incidents like the "gas the Jews" chants in Sydney, which he believes were not adequately addressed due to political correctness rather than legal inadequacy.
Kelly is particularly alarmed by the inclusion of political opinion as a protected category under these laws. He argues, "Now, that simply should not be in that legislation." He fears that this could lead to suppression of dissenting political voices, which he sees as a direct attack on free speech. He also critiqued the mandatory sentencing aspect, noting that it removes judicial discretion, which goes against Labour's own policy against mandatory sentences.
Our discussion also touched on the broader implications for society, including how these laws might not be used against the groups they're ostensibly designed to protect but could instead target political dissenters or those on the fringes of society. Kelly suggested that the real way to combat hate and misinformation isn't through censorship but through open debate and humor, which he believes can disarm and expose hateful ideologies more effectively than punitive measures.
Kelly stressed the need for strong, independent voices in the Senate to resist an impending government swayed by the Greens and Teals, which he predicts could lead to economic disaster. He's hopeful but cautious, advocating for a return to principles that uphold freedom and critique the establishment narrative critically.
