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The Greens have warned Labor\u2019s newly passed hate speech bill<\/a> could criminalise reasonable expressions of contempt or ridicule by individuals and groups, and see critics of the government of Israel targeted for prosecution.<\/p>\n The Greens justice spokesperson, David Shoebridge<\/a>, said rushed amendments \u2013 agreed between Labor and the Coalition in the wake of the Bondi terror attacks \u2013 represent an unprecedented expansion of political power to ban organisations and criminalise speech based on vague standards.<\/p>\n The prime minister, Anthony Albanese<\/a>, and the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, rejected the claims on Wednesday, insisting the laws were needed to protect Australians, including members of the Jewish community.<\/p>\n Shoebridge said legitimate criticism of Israel<\/a> or the country\u2019s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, may be offences, if they cause psychological harm and prompt warnings to the government from intelligence agencies.<\/p>\n Sign up: AU Breaking News email<\/sub><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cPeople don\u2019t realise that the Coalition cut a deal with Labor yesterday that didn\u2019t narrow the scope of this legislation to groups that are promoting violence or breaching the law,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe deal the Coalition cut with Labor in the last 24 hours massively expanded it.<\/p>\n \u201cIt roped in seven different state laws and said conduct that breaches any of those seven state laws, which includes tests like \u2018ridicule\u2019 and \u2018contempt\u2019, that can lead to the banning of organisations, the criminalisation of being an informal member of those organisations, and people going to jail for five, 10 or 15 years.\u201d<\/p>\n Constitutional expert Prof Anne Twomey said ambiguity about the laws, including over the conduct that would be covered, risked having a chilling effect on free speech.<\/p>\n \u201cIt seems that the implication is criticism of Israel, and the Israeli government, and suggesting it is engaged in genocide or something of that kind, would be enough to at least trigger the start of the process, by satisfying the provisions about inciting racial hatred,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cAt least this is in play. But we don\u2019t know if a minister, in making this kind of decision, would take that view. Equally we don\u2019t know if it was challenged whether a court would take a different view.\u201d<\/p>\n The progressive Jewish Council of Australia accused Labor of a \u201cTrumpian repression of our democratic rights\u201d after the attorney general, Michelle Rowland, confirmed new hate group laws could theoretically affect groups who accuse Israel of genocide.<\/p>\n But Rowland told ABC TV other criteria, including breaching relevant state laws dealing with racial vilification, would also have to be met.<\/p>\n The council said in a statement the laws were \u201can attempt to slander and intimidate hundreds of 1000s of Australians who have been protesting against Israel\u2019s genocide and egregious human rights abuses\u201d.<\/p>\n The Palestine Action Group spokesperson Josh Lees warned the changes should be \u201cdeeply disturbing to everyone in this country\u201d. <\/p>\n \u201cOur politicians and our ministers cannot be trusted with such powers.\u201d<\/p>\n Rowland said groups such as the neo-Nazi organisation the National Socialist Network and the Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir<\/a> would be the focus of the new laws.<\/p>\n A group of independent senators, including David Pocock, sought to amend the bill to clarify that the new aggravated sentencing provisions did not apply to instances involving criticism of the policies, actions or institutions of a foreign state, or discussion of matters of international law.<\/p>\n The amendment was unsuccessful.<\/p>\n The Australian Human Rights Commission president, Hugh de Kretser, said the new laws around banning hate organisations need stronger safeguards, including on the grounds of procedural fairness.<\/p>\n He welcomed the laws to prohibit hate groups, describing them as part of Australia\u2019s international treaty obligations.<\/p>\n