Imagine a parallel universe which also had a form of Canada’s Human Rights Commissions. Where, just as in Canada, Muslim groups took people before these human rights commissions for challenging Islam; a place where ‘star chamber‘ courts fined “hate mongers” tens of thousands of dollars in damages and forbid them from speaking their minds.

That parallel universe can be found in the antipodes - Australia. A couple headlines from there - circa 2004:

Star Chamber commission applies the law selectively against Christians in favour of Muslim bigots

Muslim Bigots Impose Blasphemy Laws on Victoria

or how about this - sound familiar?

Following an official complaint by three members of the Islamic Council of Victoria, Pastor Daniel Nalliah, Pastor Daniel Scott, and Catch the Fire Christian Ministry have been found GUILTY of Religious Villification (in breach of the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act) after quoting from the Koran/Q’ran and other authoritative Islamic texts that repeatedly, consistently, and explicitly advocated the use of coercion to spread Islam and to deal with non-believers.

Justice Higgins stated, among other things, that they had

“… incited scorn, fear and hatred of Muslim people”

And that their statements

“… were likely to incite hatred towards Muslims and sought to create fear against Muslims.”

You can listen to an interview with Pastor Scott here:

Shades of Steyn, Levant, and McMillan

But parallel universes aren’t exact copies of our own. There are subtle differences.

In this case a party took up the free speech argument and demanded reform of the law. Here in full is a press release from the Australian Liberal Party (the state version of John Howard’s federal party):

The Bracks Government’s Racial and Religious Tolerance Act is not working.

Rather than resolving problems and enhancing social harmony, the racial and religious tolerance law is having the reverse effect.

The Liberal Party’s concerns about the possible consequences of the new law were first raised in 2001 but the Premier assured us at the time that the law would “reasonably and in good faith” protect people who genuinely practiced their religion.

This assurance was vital for securing the Liberal Party’s support for the new law. The Premier said:

“It (the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act) is confined to prohibit only the most noxious form of conduct which incites hatred or contempt for a person or group on the basis of their race or religion.” Steve Bracks, Hansard, 17 May 2001

The Liberal Party’s fears have now come to pass. Despite the Premier’s promises and assurances, the law is now dividing our community and our courts are placed in the ludicrous and potentially dangerous situation of determining the worth or otherwise of religious debate.

Victorians are fair-minded people. We don’t want to see people vilified, ridiculed or threatened, but nor do we want the right of free speech to be sacrificed.

The Liberal Party opposes any incitement of religious hatred, but seriously doubts whether the current provisions are the best way to preserve social and religious harmony.

The UK government has twice been forced to drop similar proposals.

The governments of New South Wales, Western Australia and South Australia have learnt from the Victorian experience and have all decided not to introduce similar laws.

The Liberal Party agrees with NSW Premier Bob Carr who yesterday said:

“As they are used in practice religious vilification laws can undermine the very freedom they seek to protect freedom of thought, conscience and belief.”

Bob Carr, NSW Hansard 21 June 2005

It would be preferable to devote more effort to building bridges of understanding through education and discussion based on respect than allowing our courts to settle religious argument and debate.

So it can be done. A party can advocate for the reform of a Human Rights Commissions, and still increase its vote. Who knew?

I hope that during the 2009 election, our Conservative government imports the same Australian Liberal advisers that it brought in for 2006. And that those advisers are able to enlighten them on the correct way to deal with the HRCs/HRTs.

Until then of course, we need to keep up the propaganda. But let’s not be deluded. The Aussies have been fighting this for longer than us and they still haven’t won. We may be at it for quite a while.