Hate speech reforms should be delayed and split up in a bid to secure the support needed for anti-Semitism measures to pass, an influential Jewish group says.
Labor’s proposed laws, drafted in response to the December 14 Bondi massacre, are set to be debated on Monday when parliament returns early.
The support of either the coalition or the Greens will be needed to pass the legislation through the Senate, but both have indicated they do not back the bill in its current form.
In a submission to the parliamentary inquiry scrutinising the changes, the Australia Israel and Jewish Affairs Council states it would support a “short delay” in the bill’s passage for further review and refinement.
“A possible additional advantage of such a delay would be to provide an opportunity to maximise the national political consensus in favour of new legislation to address racial hatred and vilification, which AIJAC views as also highly desirable,” the submission says.
The group recommends splitting the parts of the bill dealing with firearms into separate pieces of legislation to ensure disagreements over gun reform do not hinder the passage of new hate speech laws.
The bill includes measures such as cracking down on hate preachers, introducing hate speech and racial vilification offences, in addition to creating a national gun buyback scheme.
The Nationals have indicated their opposition to gun reform on behalf of farmers.
Coalition members will meet virtually on Friday afternoon to discuss concerns held over the bill and provide feedback on the position that should be taken.
The talks will be led by Liberal senator Jonno Duniam, a member of the parliamentary committee that held the inquiry into the bill earlier this week.
Labor senator Raff Ciccone, the chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, is drafting the report as he attempts to maintain the tradition of the group’s bipartisanship.
The committee will likely work over the weekend as it races to produce the report before parliament sits.
A Labor caucus meeting will be held on Monday morning.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry has called on the coalition to vote in favour of the legislation, urging it to “not allow the perfect to become the enemy of the good”.
The government faced relentless pressure from the coalition in the days and weeks following the terrorist attack to recall parliament early, with the opposition now criticising the bill as rushed.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley described the bill as “unsalvageable” while some Liberal MPs cited issues with what they say would constitute a limitation on freedom of speech.
Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi said the bill could have unintended consequences and undermine political and civil rights.
The minor party is continuing to have discussions with Labor, but is still consulting with legal groups about the bill.
Representatives of faith groups have urged the government to delay the bill to allow it scrutiny, arguing religious organisations could fall foul should the reforms pass without amendments.