Urgent: Comments on the Hate Speech Bill Close Tomorrow at 4pm!
- Gregory Andrews
- Jan 14
- 3 min read
The Federal Parliament has opened public submissions on the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026. Submissions opened yesterday and close tomorrow at 4pm. In other words, Australians have been given only three days to comment on one of the most complex and far-reaching pieces of legislation in years.
That alone should worry all of us. Rushed legislation is almost always poor legislation. It creates unintended consequences, weakens safeguards, produces unfair outcomes, and damages trust in the democratic process.
Despite the rush, it is not too late to have your say. And your voice matters. I've already made my submission.
What I Support in the Bill
I support strong laws that prevent and punish hate speech that incites violence, intimidation, fear, or harassment. I support measures that combat antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, homophobia and transphobia - the real and harmful discrimination that too many Australians experience.
I also support the Bill’s gun-control elements, including a national gun buyback and strengthened background checks. Guns do not belong in our communities.
What Needs Changing
Good intentions don't guarantee good law. The Bill needs serious improvement in at least three areas.
First, it must not create a hierarchy of who gets protected. Human rights belong to everyone, full stop. Hate speech against Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, First Nations peoples, LGBTQI+ communities and others must be treated just as seriously as antisemitism. One community must not be elevated above the others in law.
Second, the Bill must not suppress or criminalise legitimate political criticism of governments or organisations. Criticising Israel - including its conduct in Gaza - is not hate speech. Wearing a T-shirt that says “Stop Israel’s genocide” is not hate speech. Calling for accountability for any state, whether it is Israel, China, Russia, the United States or Australia, is not hate speech. It is political expression, and in a democracy it must be protected unless it directly incites harm against a community.
Third, because Australia has no constitutional right to free speech, only a fragile implied freedom of political communication, Parliament has an even greater obligation to protect peaceful protest and public debate. Any new law affecting expression must be necessary, proportionate, and tightly drafted so it cannot be misused to silence dissent.
Why I Can’t Share My Own Submission Yet
Parliamentary rules prohibit sharing submissions publicly before the Committee authorises them for publication. So I can't share it yet or it will be invalid. Once it is available, I’ll share it. But you can make yours today.
How to Make a Submission (Even if the Portal Isn’t Working)
Several people (including me) have had issues with the My Parliament login. If the portal doesn’t work, you can email your submission directly to the Committee Secretariat at:
To make your submission valid, include:
your full name
your email address and/or phone number
your state/territory
a clear statement that this is your submission to the PJCIS inquiry into the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026.
You can attach a Word document or paste your submission directly into the email.
This is a rare moments where a single email can make a difference. If you believe in equal protection for all communities. If you believe in freedom of expression and the right to peaceful protest. If you believe laws should not be rushed through Parliament without scrutiny. Then please take ten minutes to write a submission today.
They close Thursday at 4pm. Let’s make sure our voices are heard before then.
I am a South Sudanese Pastor in the Anglican Church and working with Uniting Church. My community faces racism every day, and although we are resilient, it has devastating impacts on us, especially our youth. They are frequently not accepted and are vilified by the broader community, especially the media. Desperate to belong, they join gangs, which often leads to crime. The incidence of self-harm and suicide and incarceration is both heartbreaking and terrifying.
This bill is a chance to help to overcome some of these issues.
Hate speech against people of South Sudanese origin, and other African nations, must be treated just as seriously as antisemitism.
Please address media reporting that whips up racism in this bill, and make unfair…
Thanks, Greg, for breaking down these important issues. There is also a petition: https://informationrights.org/take-action/defend-free-speech
As for guns, how about we find out what went wrong with the gun control system before starting to introduce new legislation. Certain things can be done now as they were well thought out recommendations from the fully investigated Wieambilla crime.
Australia has some of the lowest gun crime statistics in the world, we can afford to allow hunters, collectors and sportsmen their firearms, while still keeping the nation safe.
Greg, I agree that this bill is incredibly rushed and rushed legislation creates bad law. They should really wait until the RC delivers its findings.
I think the big problem is that in their rush to address antisemitism, they may actually allow further antisemitism from clerics/preachers, but further criminalise criticism of certain groups. The line between criticising Israel and Jews is reasonably clear, but how will the law deal with “From the river to the sea etc” which is a call to wipe out Israel - is a call to wipe out Israel, and by extension the Jews (and a million or two Muslim Israelis) a hate crime, or allowed commentary?
Personally, as Tony Abbott once said, people should be…