2026-01-20
The Greens have issued a stark warning about rushed Coalition amendments to Labor's anti-association legislation. The changes represent an unprecedented expansion of political power to ban organisations and criminalise speech based on vague standards like "ridicule" and "contempt”.
Amendments agreed to in secret between the Coalition and Labor have only made the laws more dangerous, greatly expanding their reach well beyond legitimate efforts to end violence, promote safety and reduce political and social division.
Lines attributable to Sen. Mehreen Faruqi, Greens Deputy Leader and Antiracism spokesperson:
“The sham process that the government has undertaken on this bill is as appalling as the bill itself, and this last minute deal with the Coalition makes a terrible bill even more divisive and even more dangerous.
“With this bill the government is saying that they care about some communities but not others, and they have thrown muslims and migrants under the bus.
“This terrible deal between Labor and the Coalition will have a chilling effect on political debate, protest, civil rights, and people speaking up about civil rights abuses across the world. The Greens will vehemently and strongly oppose this bill.”
Lines attributable to Senator David Shoebridge, Greens Spokesperson for Justice:
"Coalition amendments expand the reach of Labor's already dangerous crackdown on speech and political expression in unprecedented ways. Far from narrowing these laws, these changes expand the law to expressly cover conduct that falls far short of violence.
"The rushed changes expand the conduct that can lead to organisations being banned by including references to 7 different State and Territory laws. This raises multiple constitutional issues and significant uncertainty in how the laws apply across the Commonwealth.
"This Labor and Coalition deal may lead to organisations being banned, and people being criminalised across the country, if they ridicule or express contempt for a group or person.
"These laws cover much more than threats of violence, extending to 'economic, social and psychological harm' enforced not by courts but by ASIO and the Home Affairs Minister.
"Labor and the Coalition are intending to capture acts and statements done in the past with the retrospective operation of this law. Groups may be captured for actions or words said before these offences were even created.
"What was a rushed process last week has now become a farce. Unprecedented legal changes are being made law without even a cursory review by experts or the community.”