Victorian Minister for Multicultural Affairs responds to OHPI Report

Following the terrorist attacks in France in January 2015, the Online Hate Prevention Institute produced a detailed report “Je Suis Humain: Responsible free speech in the shadow of the Charlie Hebdo murders.”

This report included a number of recommendations about the boundaries between free speech and hate speech, and the link between hate speech and extremism. It also included a wide range of recommendations

The report was shared with relevant stakeholders in Australia and around the world. We are pleased to have received a response on behalf of the Victorian Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Mr Robin Scott, MP.

Some extracts from this letter include:

  • “I would like to take this opportunity to thank OHPI for its efforts to prevent and mitigate online racism, religious vilification and other hate related messaging. These issues are of great concern to the Victorian Government and we will continue to work to address them through our policies, program responses and through legislative means.”
  • “It is important to have ongoing dialogue about issues of free speech, freedom of expression, vilification and human dignity, and I commend the OHPI for its important work in this area.”

Robin Scott