In Canberra’s echo chambers, politicians hastily assembled in January 2026 for a special sitting, unleashing the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill upon us. They touted it as a fortress against bigotry. Central to this is the new racial vilification offense in Section 80.2BF of the Criminal Code: it outlaws publicly inciting hatred based on race, color, or national/ethnic origin, if it leads a reasonable person in the targeted group to fear harassment or violence, with up to five years’ imprisonment.

But here’s the rub: a defense absolves those merely quoting religious texts for teaching or discussion. What qualifies as such? The bill mumbles vaguely, leaving judges to analyze intentions in a fog of subjectivity. This exemption looks like a gateway to trouble, shielding the pious while exposing the vulnerable, as if sanctifying scripture were a license to lob verbal grenades under the guise of enlightenment.

Turn to the Qur’an for a stark illustration. Surah Al-Baqarah 2:65 recounts a divine rebuke to Sabbath transgressors among the Children of Israel: “And you had already known about those who transgressed among you concerning the sabbath, and We said to them, ‘Be apes, despised.’” Surah Al-A’raf 7:166 reinforces: “So when they were insolent about that which they had been forbidden, We said to them, ‘Be apes, despised.’” Ibn........

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