Women Speak Tasmania has lodged a submission to the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion under Term of Reference (d), which examines ways to strengthen social cohesion in Australia and counter ideologically and religiously motivated extremism.
Our submission argues that social cohesion depends on clear, proportionate, and equal legal protections applied consistently across all protected attributes, including biological sex. It raises concerns about legal asymmetries in federal and Tasmanian anti-discrimination and vilification frameworks, particularly the omission of sex as a protected attribute in Tasmania’s Anti-Discrimination Act 1998.
The submission also warns that overly broad or uneven hate-speech laws risk undermining democratic participation, discouraging lawful advocacy, and weakening public trust in institutions. It calls for reforms that uphold freedom of expression, procedural fairness, equal protection under the law, and evidence-based policy-making.
Women Speak Tasmania thanks the Royal Commission for considering this submission and welcomes meaningful democratic debate on these important issues affecting social cohesion in Australia.