Turning the Spotlight on ‘Offensiveness' as a Basis for Criminal Liability

Alternative Law Journal

Volumn 39, Issue 1, 2014, Pages 36-39

  McNamara, Luke ^a   Quilter, Julia ^a  

^a NONE

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[No Author keywords available]

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EID: 84963700831     PISSN: 1037969X     EISSN: 23989084     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1177/1037969X1403900110     Document Type: Article

References (42)

1. See Quilter Julia McNamara Luke, Time to define “the cornerstone of public order legislation”: The elements of offensive conduct and language under the Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW)' (2013) 36 University of New South Wales Law Journal 534, 535, n 3.
2. NSW Law Reform Commission (‘NSWLRC’), Penalty Notices, Report No 132 (2012).
3. Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012, cl 17(1).
4. Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Parliament of Australia, Exposure Draft of the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012 (2013).
5. Alexander Harriet, ‘Backlash puts end to Roxon bill clause’, Sydney Morning Herald (Sydney), 1 February 2013, 6.
6. Wong MP Penny Dreyfus Mark QC MP, ‘New Anti-Discrimination Laws to Cover Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Intersex Status’ (Joint Media Release, 20 March 2013).
7. See, eg, Brandis George, ‘Section 18C has no place in a society that values freedom of expression’ The Australian (online), 30 September 2011 < http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/opinion/section-18c-has-no-place-in-a-society-that-values-freedom-of-expression/story-e6frgd0x-1226152196836>.
8. Eatock v Bolt (2011) 197 FCR 261, [2]. See Joseph Sarah, ‘Free Speech, Racial Intolerance and the Right to Offend’ (2011) 26(4) Alternative Law Journal 225; Gelber Kath McNamara Luke, ‘“The Bolt Case” and its Aftermath: Freedom of Speech and Racial Vilification in Public Discourse in Australia’ (2013) 48 Australian Journal of Political Science 470.
9. Abbott MP Tony, ‘Freedom Wars’ (Speech delivered at the Institute of Public Affairs, Sydney, 6 August 2012) < http://resources.news.com.au/fles/2012/08/06/1226443/820701-aus-na-file-abbott-speech.pdf>.
10. Waldron Jeremy, The Harm in Hate Speech (Harvard University Press, 2012), 106.
11. Spigelman James, ‘Hate speech and free speech: Drawing the line’ (Human Rights Oration, Australian Human Rights Commission, 10 December 2012) < https://www.humanrights.gov.au/news/speeches/human-rights-day-oration-delivered-honourable-james-spigelman-ac-qc>.
12. On the aftermath of the Bolt decision, see Gelber McNamara, above n 8.
13. See generally, Lennan Joanne, ‘The development of offensive language laws in nineteenth-century New South Wales’ (2007) 18 Current Issues in Criminal Justice 449.
14. See Quilter McNamara, above n 1, 553.
15. 220 CLR 1.
16. Under what was then (now repealed) s 7(1)(d) of the Vagrants, Gaming and Other Offences Act 1931 (Qld).
17. Coleman v Power (2004) 220 CLR 1, [193] (Gummow and Hayne JJ).
18. [2011] NZSC 45.
19. Monis v The Queen; Droudis v The Queen (2013) 295 ALR 359.
20. Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) s 471.12.
21. Monis v The Queen; Droudis v The Queen (2013) 295 ALR 359, [57].
22. Ibid [327], [338].
23. Ibid [74] per French CJ.
24. Ibid [353].
25. Judiciary Act 1902 (Cth) s 23.
26. See Quilter McNamara, above n 1, 536. See also NSW Ombudsman, Review of the Impact of Criminal Infringement Notices on Aboriginal Communities Report (2009).
27. See Quilter McNamara, above n 1, 543.
28. Inglis v Fish [1961] VR 607, 611 (Pape J). See Quilter McNamara, above n 1, 553–54.
29. NSWLRC, above n 2, 298.
30. Ibid 300.
31. ABC Television, ‘Cop It Sweet’, 1992 (Jenny Brockie).
32. NSWLRC, above n 2, 299–300.
33. On the operation of offensive conduct and language laws in NSW, see Quilter McNamara, above n 1, 542–47.
34. NSWLRC, above n 2, 301.
35. See Jochelson Robert, ‘Aborigines and Public Order Legislation in New South Wales’, NSW BOCSAR, Crime and Justice Bulletin No 34 (1997).
36. NSW Anti-Discrimination Board, Study of Street Offences by Aborigines (1982).
37. NSW Ombudsman, above n 26, 71.
38. NSWLRC, above n 2, 308.
39. The Commission did not consider it appropriate to make a formal recommendation for abolition because this option had not been canvassed by the Commission during the consultation process: ibid 311.
40. Ibid and see recommendation 10.3.
41. See, eg, Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW) s 197.
42. See, eg, Brown David et al., Criminal Laws: Materials and Commentary on Criminal Law and Process of New South Wales (Federation Press, 5th ed, 2011), 122; Crime and Misconduct Commission, Queensland, Police move-on powers: A CMC review of their use (2010).