I think it's pretty amazing, actually. But that's not a view held by everyone, and it is just one indication of how difficult it is to balance the competing interests of free speech and freedom from abuse. It's a question of perspective, really, in the balance between the right of free speech and the right to be free from harm or abuse. That is disputed by B'nai B'rith, which says extremist groups thrive when given public and media oxygen to breathe, and struggle when tough laws are introduced against them. But Maxwell says education is the answer, and has called for a parliamentary resolution, similar to the public apology made by many parliaments throughout the country in recent years to Australia's Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, which would declare the community's abhorrence of hate speech.
People say, 'Education, schmeducation.
But I think it's actually a hard option. It takes time, it can be hard to see results and it's not easy work. The Whitlam government introduces the Federal Racial Discrimination Act. Australia refuses to ratify the section of the United Nations Human Rights Racial Discrimination Convention that requires a ban on dissemination of racist ideas, incitement, acts of violence and assistance to racial activities. The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission begins the first national inquiry on racist violence in Australia.