Australia: Tasmania tussles over free speech debate - homosexual marriage
No sooner than the Tasmanian government tabled its planned changes to the state's anti-discrimination laws, came calls for the proposal to be scrapped . Amid much controversy, the Liberal administration on Tuesday in parliament put forward an amendment Bill, insisting free speech is a fundamental right . Attorney-General Vanessa Goodwin highlighted that the changes do not allow for hate speech but would enable church groups the right to convey their views on social issues such as same-sex marriage, without the fear of being reported to the anti-discrimination commissioner. "It is everyone's right to be able to genuinely participate in public debate and discussion, while ensuring that there are appropriate protections in place to stop people going too far," the minister said. But the argument was dismissed by her Labor opposition counterpart Lara Giddings who said the government is refusing to listen to community concerns about the change in law. "The