Crisafulli insists his hate speech laws will ‘stand the test of time’

Laws that would criminalise two pro-Palestinian slogans, along with swastikas and the flags of terrorist groups, have been written in a targeted way to fight antisemitism and would “stand the test of time”, despite a shortened public consultation process, Queensland’s premier says.

David Crisafulli was asked about the laws – first announced 10 days ago as a response to the attack on a Jewish event in Bondi – after his address to the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday.

The omnibus bill, due to be debated in state parliament within weeks, will include proposed gun law reforms, as well as an extension of banned hate symbols, and boosted penalties for criminal offences related to places of worship.

The prohibitions on speech go further than any other jurisdiction, banning the common protest chant “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, as well as “globalise the intifada”.

The ban will also apply to any phrases, spoken or written, decided by the attorney-general of the day. The laws will extend police stop-and-search powers of anyone suspected of committing the offence.

Dozens of major religious organisations, civil society groups and legal experts have raised concerns about the bans – and the consultation process – in more than 200 submissions published on Wednesday, despite a window of only days to lodge them.

A public hearing will be held in Brisbane on Thursday before a parliamentary committee makes its recommendations ahead of parliament’s return on March 3.

Speaking at the National Press Club, Crisafulli said his laws were different from those introduced by the Albanese government then ultimately abandoned following opposition from the Coalition and the Greens, in what the Queensland premier described as “chaotic scenes”.

“[The Queensland legislation] was very specific, against a very specific attack. What happened in Canberra, and why you saw the chaotic scenes, is because that wasn’t the case,” he said.

“It was too broad, and on the back of it, quite rightly, people stood up and drew a line as to what would happen if it was that broad.

“If you read the legislation, it’s very tight, it’s very specific, and it will stand the test of time.”

In his prepared remarks, Crisafulli said he wanted to show “what a good centre-right government looks like”, along with a pitch for interstate investment and workers.

Questioned later about One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s comments that there are no “good” Muslims in Australia, he said he did not agree and would not engage in the extremes of politics.

“When you have blanket statements, it never works … the best thing to do is explain to people, through what we’re doing, about the importance of living and breathing our values,” he said.

“Our values are making sure that we do the things we say, that we’re a tolerant state, and a tolerant place for people to come.”

He said conversations about migration across the country were happening because people were “feeling the pressure in getting a house, pressures on hospitals, roads that are congested”.

“That’s a very fair and reasonable conversation. That’s the conversation we have to have,” he said.

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.