Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

The standard you walk past

By Vic Alhadeff - posted Tuesday, 8 September 2015


In a bile-filled rant, a Sydney preacher recently called for death to a group of Australians because of their ethnic identity. The law was unable to do anything about it. It was impotent, powerless to act.

Ismail al-Wahwah, spiritual leader of Hizb ut-Tahrir, accused Jews of corrupting the world, describing them as "the most evil creature of Allah" and threatening "the ember of jihad against the Jews will continue to burn … an eye for an eye, blood for blood, destruction for destruction. Judgment Day will not come until the Muslims fight the Jews," he fulminated. "There is only one solution for this cancerous tumour: it must be uprooted and thrown back to where it came from."

Wahwah insists he was referring only to Israel; his words and numerous references to "Jews" unmask this claim.

Advertisement

The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies referred the incident to the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board, which forwarded it to the Attorney-General, the Director of Public Prosecutions and the police, who said they were powerless to prosecute.

There is a six-month time limit for commencing a criminal prosecution in such a case in NSW. That window closed last week. The police ­decided against prosecuting despite the DPP advising that a "likely breach" of the law had occurred. Police said they didn't have sufficient evidence to secure a conviction or the power to obtain that evidence.

If that is correct and the problem wasn't lack of will among political leaders and law enforcement agencies, then the law is in serious need of reform. Since Section 20D of the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act was enacted in 1989, the ADB has referred 11 - now 12 - cases to the DPP under it. Not one has been prosecuted, let alone convicted. A parliamentary inquiry into Section 20D made 15 recommendations for reform; none has been implemented.

Hizb ut-Tahrir calls for the overthrow of democracies and their replacement by religious dictatorships. It insists it does not advocate violence. That claim rings rather hollow.

The failure to prosecute Wahwah tells all 200 ethnic groups in NSW that the law is unable to protect any person of ethnic background. The ­ineffectiveness of the law gives ­licence to racial hatred and incitement to violence - with impunity.

We are all the poorer for this ­appalling outcome. The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies has for years called for reform of Section 20D and will continue to do so. The law needs to be changed - before anyone gets hurt.

Advertisement

As Army Chief David Morrison once noted, the standard you walk past is the standard you accept.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. All


Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

31 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Vic Alhadeff is Chief Executive of the Jewish Board of Deputies and a former Chair of the NSW Community Relations Commission.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Vic Alhadeff

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Article Tools
Comment 31 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy