Australia seems to be in a rush to catch Europe and the UK in punishing people for speaking what they believe to be true. For example: ‘Television host Sonia Kruger has become a poster girl for Far-Right groups in Australia after a vilification complaint was made against her when she called for an end to Muslim migration.

The groups claim the case against Kruger is an attack on free speech, and believe she is being persecuted for speaking her mind when she said during a segment on Channel Nine’s Today program in 2016 that there was a correlation between the number of terror attacks in a country, and the number of Muslim people who lived there.

“Personally I would like to see [Muslim migration] stopped now for Australia.  Because I want to feel safe, as all of our citizens do, when they go out to celebrate Australia Day,” she said during the segment.

Muslim man Sam Ekermawi filed a racial vilification complaint against Kruger, which the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal recently ruled will be given a full hearing.

What is unlawful vilification

Unlawful vilification is inciting hatred towards, serious contempt for, or severe ridicule of a person, or group of people, because of an attribute like their race, religion, ethnic origin, sexuality or gender identity.’ http://discriminationclaims.com.au/i-stand-with-sonia-tv-host-poster-girl-for-far-right/

This is the television spot that got Sonia into all this trouble.

Well, exactly what is vilification?

‘Definition of vilification

Vilification is inciting hatred towards, serious contempt for, or severe ridicule of a person, or group of persons, because of their race, religion, sexuality, or gender identity, by a public act.

Other definitions

Race can include a person’s colour, ethnicity or nationality, descent or ancestry.

Religion includes a belief system or the absence of a belief system.

Sexuality means heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality.

Gender identity means that a person identifies as a member of the opposite sex by living or seeking to live as a member of that sex, or is of indeterminate sex and seeks to live a member of a particular sex.

A public act is any form of communication to the public, such as speaking, writing, printing, displaying notices and messages on the internet and social media.

It also includes conduct observable by the public, including actions, gestures, wearing or display of clothing, signs, flags, emblems or insignia.

Incite means to urge on, stimulate or prompt action.

Hatred is an extreme or intense dislike or detestation.

Contempt is the attitude that someone is worthless or of little account, that involves looking down upon or treating that person as inferior.

Ridicule is to make fun of, deride or laugh at.’ http://discriminationclaims.com.au/vilification/

Now, consider the following which occurred under a Federal Labor Government in 2012.

‘ONE of the Muslim world’s best-known and most successful motivational speakers, Tareq Al Suwaidan, is about to start another tour of Australia, following a sell-out visit two years ago… His opening address, this Saturday, will be at the Robert Blackwood hall at Monash University in Melbourne, before further lectures in Melbourne and Sydney, finishing on June 18… Dr Suwaidan – who lectures in English in Australia – is a leader of the Muslim Brotherhood in Kuwait, and general manager of Al-Resalah (The Message), an Arabic language satellite TV station funded by Prince al-Waleed bin Talal of Saudi Arabia…. In an interview for Al-Quds, a TV station affiliated with Hamas, he said 10 weeks ago: “I can change the positions of some Westerners, but at the end of the day, power lies with the politicians, who are influenced by two things only: money and the media, both of which are controlled by the Jews. “So we must not rely on Western aid or on Western popular sympathy. These are minor things. We rely upon Allah and then upon our armed resistance in obtaining our rights.” He said his foremost cause is that of Palestine and Jerusalem. “The most dangerous thing facing the Muslims is not the (Arab) dictatorships. The absolutely most dangerous thing is the Jews. They are the greatest enemy.”‘ https://www.heraldsun.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/go-to-monash-uni-for-another-lecture-on-the-enemies-of-allah/news-story/6342761cdc7724ed9ca0a3c32e78c897

Sadly, in Australia the freedom of speech is only for a few; so it seems.