Matt Canavan responds to Hate Crime bill fallout

Senator Matt Canavan at CPAC 2024 in Brisbane

Following the fallout from those conservative senators who did not vote against the government’s Hate Crime Bill last week, I questioned Senator Matt Canavan about his support for the bill. In drafting legislation, there is always a trade-off for politicians between the process of enabling legislation and the optics of voting for legislation that might not be popular to one’s base.

Canavan has been an advocate for Australia’s traditional resources and energy sector. I heard him speak at CPAC 2024 in Brisbane last year and he is usually not backward in coming forward about issues that are dear to conservatives. I was curious to know his reasons for supporting the Hate Crime Bill.

Here’s how Senator Canavan responded to my questions.

Writing in the Unfiltered newsletter, Alexandra Marshall had this to say:

Senator Matt Canavan has answered Michael de Percy’s questions regarding the changes he tried to make to the Hate Crime Bill and the reasons he decided to vote for it in the end, even though he has faced some backlash from his followers. ‘I am not a libertarian. We must maintain an orderly and harmonious society. People threatening or inciting violence should be charged.’

In The Best of Flat White, Alexandra wrote: 

The tightening of restrictions on speech and lowering of the bar for incitement has left Australia in a heated debate – no more so than on the right where the Coalition and several members of centre-right minor parties either voted in favour of Labor’s bill or abstained. Even much-loved figures in the Blue Ribbon movement, such as Matt Canavan, have faced criticism for ultimately following the government’s lead. If you wish to hear his response, please refer to Michael de Percy’s article.

My latest in The Spectator Australia, Matt Canavan responds to Hate Crime bill fallout.

Senator Canavan responded: