Labor have yet again used their numbers in the Legislative Council to block the Government’s agenda and deny a sensible balanced amendment in support of responsible free speech.
The bill was defeated 7-4. If the two Labor members present had voted "yes" to responsible free speech, it would have passed 6 votes to 5.
The changes would have struck the right balance between providing protection from discrimination and unlawful conduct, while still allowing for responsible public debate and discussion on important issues.
The right to free speech is a fundamental tenet of our democracy, and the Government is very disappointed the proposed amendments have been blocked by Labor.
We will now closely consider our position and announce a policy to address this in advance of the next election.