Pauline Hanson’s High Court appeal will put freedom of speech to the test
The One Nation leader’s case is among a slew of cases the High Court will deal with in coming months on freedom of political communication.
Senator Pauline Hanson has secured a High Court appeal to test the limits of freedom of speech in Australia, as her tweet criticizing Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi over the Queen's death will be scrutinized. The tweet, which called Faruqi's immigration a betrayal, led to a complaint to the Human Rights Commission, resulting in Hanson’s tweet being ordered deleted and her to pay Faruqi’s legal costs.
The High Court will now hear the appeal, which aims to resolve the constitutionality of section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, which prohibits behavior that offends, insults, humiliates, or intimidates others based on race or ethnicity. The first issue concerns the legislative power of the Australian government to enact such laws, while the second deals with whether section 18C infringes on the implied freedom of political communication.
The appeal could influence the scope of laws restricting hate speech, protest rights, and political slogans, as the constitutionality of section 18C is at stake.
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