The recent NSW decision of Passas v Comensoli [2019] NSWCATAP 298 (18 December 2019) provides an example of someone who has been penalised for “homosexual vilification” as a result of comments concerning same-sex marriage. However, it does provide clarification that merely to express disagreement with the introduction of same sex marriage does not amount to such vilification under NSW law.
vilification laws
Religious Free Speech after Ruddock
I am presenting a paper at the “Religious Freedom After Ruddock” conference being held at the University of Queensland on Saturday April 6. The paper is “Religious Free Speech After Ruddock: Implications for Blasphemy and Religious Vilification Laws”. A copy is available here:
The paper is fairly long but it deals with a number of important issues on religious free speech, and I think it has become even more relevant following the terrible events in Christchurch and calls for increased regulation of “hate speech”. I suggest that there is a role for this, but we need to be very careful to define what we mean by this phrase and not open it up too broadly by restricting legitimate debate on important issues.
Law and Religion Australia 