Former Abbott government minister Eric Abetz has suggested journalists interrupting politicians in interviews could be considered "offensive and insulting" amid a push to change controversial provisions of the Racial Discrimination Act.
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During an interview with ABC Radio's Fran Kelly on Wednesday morning, the conservative Tasmanian senator asked to be given the opportunity to finish his answers before suggesting some might consider his being interrupted as "insulting" or "offensive".
Senator Abetz is backing Liberal backbencher Cory Bernardi as he prepares to present a private member's bill to amend the act. Senator Bernardi has the support of at least 20 senators including all but one of the Coalition's backbench in the upper house. The bill would re-write the law to drop "offend" or "insult" from the act, while leaving in "intimidate or "humiliate".
Changes were considered and then dropped by the Abbott government and the renewed push for change is being seen as a challenge to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's authority.
Senator Abetz said the provisions were subjective and therefore problematic.
"We can say that your interruptions to me on this program were insulting and offensive... because I wasn't allowed to finish what I was trying to say," he said.
"This sort of industry of taking offence at everything has gone far too far within our society.
"Freedom of speech does require the capacity of people to engage in robust discussion. Do we want vilification? Absolutely not.
"What's being suggested is that these very subjective terms such as 'insulting' or 'offending', that somehow I take offence, therefore you should not be allowed to say what is on your mind - that stifles free speech."
Challenged to explain how interruptions in a live interview could be an offence if they were unrelated to race or religion and if they were covered by good-faith provisions in section 18d of the act, Senator Abetz said taking offence was too easy under the law.
"What I was pointing out to you and I am sure your listeners get this, that just the fact that you are interrupted or challenged about something, somebody might, if they are a sensitive soul, say that they are insulted or offended or humiliated by that.
"So of course you weren't interrupting me because of my race or religion... and I fully accept that but what I was putting out was people that want to be in the industry of taking offence find it extremely easy," he said.
He said Coalition MPs and Liberal Party rank and file consider changes to 18c overdue and denied the plan could weaken Mr Turnbull.
"We were not able to proceed in the last term and there are many within the Coalition, and indeed the wider community, that believe this is a fundamental matter that does need to be addressed.
"Indeed the Prime Minister and others have said that this very modest change is something that is highly defensible but what the government has said [is] that it's not a priority at this stage..."
Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek questioned why changes to the act, previously supported but them dumped by the Abbott government, were a priority.
"I think there's a very strong case made by Australians, by communities of different backgrounds in Australia, that this law has been very successful in helping us build a strong multicultural Australia," she said.
