Fines for hate speech in marriage survey
Yes and no campaigners in Australia’s same-sex marriage survey could face fines of up to A$12,600 ($13,985) if their material includes hate speech.
The Government is finalising a deal with Labor to pass protections governing the conduct of the survey campaign.
The bill, expected to pass Parliament by the end of this week, would make it an offence to vilify, intimidate or threaten to cause harm to a person on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status or religious conviction.
The offences — which are understood to cover a wide range of communication from tweets to pamphlets — would only apply during the survey period, which started yesterday and concludes with the announcement of the result on November 15.
The Labor caucus did not see the final text of the bill, but talks were held between senior Labor MPs and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann.
Labor’s Penny Wong said the bill will provide “limited protection, but the real leadership has to come from the Parliament and the Government”.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics is aiming to get the survey forms out to 16 million voters by September 25.
The form asks, “Should the law be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry?”, followed by yes and no boxes to be marked.
Labor leader Bill Shorten urged voters not to delay returning their forms. “It takes 30 seconds,” he said.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has said he will campaign for a yes vote in the non-binding survey but which will likely lead to a vote in Parliament if it gains enough support.
The ABS will close receipt of forms on November 7 and announce the result on November 15.
The bureau is encouraging forms to be sent in by October 27.