INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AT STAKE
It is disappointing that Hume council thinks so little of its residents to assume they are just champing at the bit to racially abuse their neighbours upon repeal of this anti-freedom legislation (Hume council fights changes to Racial Discrimination Act, Star Weekly May 20). They have shown a fundamental mistrust of individual citizens’ capacity to consider and judge ideas on their merits without the interference of government.
The community itself is the best judge of what speech is worthwhile and what speech is undesirable, and will react accordingly to censure those who preach division and hatred.
As President Obama said, “When ignorant folks want to advertise their ignorance you don’t really have to do anything, you just let them talk.” Government regulation of speech that merely offends, insults or humiliates is neither necessary nor desirable. It is a standard too open to interpretation, too easily abused, and places too great a limit on the right of the individual to freely express ideas.
Stuart, via web
A PLACE TO HAVE YOUR SAY
Tammy of Sunbury (Letters, May 20) should be thankful that there is a group prepared to speak against this [Sunbury out of Hume] travesty. We were told we were voting for one thing: “determine the level of support”, then that we had voted for something totally different: a final decision on a major change that has no detail except the name.
She should also be thankful there is now somewhere to express diverse opinions
Let us hope Star Weekly’s even-handed policy does not cost it advertising from the unknown source that bankrolled the “Yes” campaign.
Don Hampshire, Sunbury
I and other members of the former Sunbury out of Hume Community Consultative Committee are disappointed by the comments made by Ms Betty Kosanovic, President of the Broadmeadows Progress Association.
These comments in no way reflect the various discussions at committee meetings and during the report writing phase. All 10 conclusions and recommendations contained in the Committee’s report were unanimously agreed to and supported by all committee members at three meetings.
The time for expressing disagreement or a ‘minority’ opinion was during the report writing phase in discussion with the eight other committee members – not unilaterally after the process had concluded.
Committee members are entitled to subsequently change their views previously expressed and are of course entitled to their own private opinions. However, committee members were reminded throughout the consultation process their role was only to listen and report the community’s views, not our own.
Amanda Millar, MP Northern Victoria
