Peter Garrett
Member for Kingsford Smith
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Reconciliation and the Arts

The Arts Minister, Senator Rod Kemp, is providing no support for the Australian arts community as concern grows about the inclusion of proposed sedition clauses in the Anti -Terrorism Bill (No 2) 2005, Labor Arts spokesman Peter Garrett said today.

Speaking on ABC Radio National ‘The Deep End’ this week Senator Kemp said,
“ The ‘good faith’ provisions available will protect freedom of speech…freedom of speech is not under threat”.

Wrong. The ‘good faith’ provisions are very narrowly drawn and will not provide a defence for broad expression including speech.

Senator Kemp went on… ” this is merely updating of the existing laws.”

Wrong again. There are several new offences not in the existing laws, and critically, both the definitions in the bill and the potential scope of the legislation means the clauses have a far wider ambit than was previously the case.

Numerous arts organisations and artists have expressed their deep concern about the possible impact on their freedom of expression by these proposed changes but Senator Kemp hasn't taken up any of the issues the arts community has raised.

This week's hearings by The Senate Legal and Constitutional Legislation Committee into the Anti-Terrorism (No.2) Bill 2005 saw a number of submissions highlighting problems and concerns with the sedition clauses.

The United Kingdom has not used their sedition laws for 50 years whilst countries like New Zealand, Ireland and Canada have either repealed or are in the process of repealing sedition laws. Yet this government is introducing new sedition offences.

Opposition by the Law Council of Australia, a number of other legal organisations, human rights groups, arts organisations, and media groups, as well as by scores of senior lawyers, legal academics and retired judges continues.

Apparently the only people who are not concerned are Philip Ruddock, John Howard and now Senator Kemp.

Contact: Kate Pasterfield