Freedom of Speech

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Katter's Australian Party Senator Fraser Anning, which means it failed.

Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham (SA) crossed the floor and voted 'No' against the majority of his party.

Motion text

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) the New South Wales (NSW) Parliament has copied the socialist government in Victoria to ban protests by people trying to protect the rights of the unborn outside abortion clinics,

(ii) people who enter the 150 metre "exclusion zone" arbitrarily declared around abortion clinics to peacefully protest in defence of the right to life now face jail terms,

(iii) these "exclusion zones" are nothing more than an attempt to restrict freedom of speech,

(iv) no such "exclusion zones" apply to any other forms of protest and violent left-wing protesters opposed to democracy and capitalism do not face such draconian punishments, and

(v) a democratic government should not involve itself in regulating the faith and prayers of Australians, much less imprisoning people for them; and

(b) condemns the NSW Parliament for introducing a law which severely restricts freedom of speech and political expression.