@DisrespectedThe@BadgedPatriot At least I have air bags for my knees when I fall over now, always a positive to a negative 😄 damn I need to start wearing a bra more often!
STATEMENT: Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026
Yesterday evening, I was intending to vote NO to the government’s Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026.
I was waiting in the alcove outside the Senate chamber for the call on the final vote on the legislation, but there was an issue with the system upon which we rely.
I was deeply disappointed to miss the opportunity to vote against the bill.
It was a miserable end to two days of dealing with Labor’s rushed and reckless legislation.
However, I am determined to continue to call out Anthony Albanese for the appalling way in which he rammed this shocking bill through the parliament without proper consideration or scrutiny, and for forcing ill-considered laws on the Australian people.
My Coalition colleagues did their best, despite the time constraints, to improve the government’s shocking legislation. I admire and commend them for their efforts.
At the very least, visa cancellation has been strengthened, and it will be easier to list and ban hate groups.
But I could not, in good faith, support this legislation.
The restriction on firearms is a distraction-by-design. Labor is only seeking to be tough on gun laws because it’s utterly weak in confronting the root causes of antisemitism – in particular, radical left protesters and Islamist extremists. The legislation unfairly targets law-abiding citizens who use firearms for work or recreation. What really needs to be addressed is stopping jihadists from accessing guns, legally or illegally.
The legislation contains a flawed hate crime definition that is incredibly broad in scope. I’m concerned it could be weaponised. And I’m worried about the unforeseen consequences of this legislation and its ramifications for free speech.
And there is no sunset clause – a safeguard that would time limit any damage from poorly conceived legislation.
I have been contacted by many Australians of Jewish faith who had issues with all aspects of the Albanese government’s Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026. They noted that the legislation failed to address the root causes of antisemitism and believed it would fail to combat antisemitism.
Labor’s spin doctors are working overtime to portray the Coalition as weak for its response to this ill-considered and ineffective legislation.
But I’ll tell you what is truly weak: a government that, for more than 800 days, lacked the moral clarity and political leadership to come down hard on the perpetrators of antisemitism.
It’s scandalous that, despite so many crimes being committed, there have been so few arrests and so few visas cancelled.
The problem isn’t so much that existing laws are insufficient, rather, the problem is that existing laws haven’t been enforced.
The plague of antisemitism afflicting our nation is one that the Albanese government not only failed to stop, but also allowed to spread due to its inaction and moral confusion.
Two questions linger in my mind:
Why did the government rush to pass this legislation instead of taking the time to get it right?
And given that rush, what is the government trying to hide?
My view throughout this process is that, leveraging off the Bondi tragedy and using the justification of combatting antisemitism, the politically expedient Anthony Albanese has sought to ram through legislation to curtail and control speech because he wants to shut down debate on key policy issues, like mass immigration.
This comes as no surprise. It’s exactly what we have come to expect from this Prime Minister.
Since coming to power, we’ve seen the Albanese government’s socialist inclinations play out. It’s a government that mistakes control for governing well. A government that favours a state-directed economy over a free-market economy. And a government that prefers having power over citizens – who are dependent on the state – to empowering citizens.
@mattjcan@mattjcan In 2020 Ken O'Dowd said this would happen, he told me it might take another few years but it will happen & The Nats will be back!
Hamas never praised the actions of my Government @AlboMP, but they did praise yours.
Wall Street Journal article published on 19 December, 2025
https://t.co/H5ISaLXX91