Thanks to Jim for the picture of the smiling douche wearing the 911 shirt.
Oops…under the previous Labor Gov'ts draft Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012, I’d be screwed on section 17, Division 2 the Protected Attributes (1)(k) and (1)(o) for publishing the Mr Jihad t-shirt and section 19, Division 2 Meaning of Discrimination (2)(b) for calling the dude wearing the 911 shirt a "douche."
Australia under Labor, freedom of expression today, not so much tomorrow.
If freedom of opinion means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.
If you want to know who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticise. Is that the Australia we all want to live in?
I could not think of a better person than Tim Wilson to be Australia’s first Freedom Commissioner and the fact that the bed wetting left are going completely ape shit over Tim’s appointment tells me the Abbott Gov’t made the right call.
But labor mean well, don't they??
Posted by: DavidM | December 18, 2013 at 10:36 AM
Tim is a fantastic choice. Congrats and good luck to him.
Posted by: Michelle | December 18, 2013 at 11:18 AM
Can't say I know very much about Tim Wilson, but if the leftists are going ape shit about his appointment he must be worth giving a go. I do know one thing, the leftists absolutely hate any opinion other than their own being heard, and they made attempts to nobble the press and public when last in power. Labor is a party that has no desire to govern under democratic principles, like the pigs in Animal Farm, they are willing to use a popular vote to get to the top, but would prefer to close all avenues for them to be removed that way.
Posted by: Jim Witt | December 18, 2013 at 11:33 AM
check out the lefties presently on the AHRC - From Andrew Bolt's blog (http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/the_two_tims_why_the_abbott_government_cannot_compromise_with_those_now_sav/)
But let’s check who Wilson is joining as a commissioner
President
Professor Gillian Triggs – appointed by the Gillard Government. Backed Labor’s plans for further restrictions to our free speech.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner
Mick Gooda – appointed by the Rudd Government. Advertised speaker on ”Building a Stronger Left” at the Australian Left Renewal Conference in April.
Age Discrimination Commissioner
Susan Ryan - former minister in the Hawke Labor Government, and appointed commissioner by the Gillard Government.
Children’s Commissioner
Megan Mitchell – former CEO of the Australian Council of Social Service, and appointed commissioner by the Gillard Government.
Disability Discrimination Commissioner
Graeme Innes – widely criticised for whipping up a social media to attack Myer for not introducing a 10 per cent quota of disabled workers, something not required under any law or HRC policy.
Race Discrimination Commissioner
Tim Soutphommasane – former Labor member, staffer to Bob Carr and Kevin Rudd and member of Left-wing Per Capita think tank. A supporter of the apology, but not a giver of one.
Sex Discrimination Commissioner
Elizabeth Broderick – gender warrior who presented Prime Minister Julia Gillard as a victim of the media.
Posted by: Account Deleted | December 18, 2013 at 12:28 PM
Tim Wilson is a rare gay voice in centre-right circles, and now is well-placed to advance initiatives for the gay and lesbian community under the new Abbott government.
Who knows, he may have the opportunity to marry his lover -Ryan - in Abbott's second term.
Posted by: Arthur Dent | December 18, 2013 at 01:20 PM
I know plenty of gay ppl who happen to be centre-right so don't try an make out that Tim is somehow special in this regard.
and if the left think they can rattle Tim, then they have picked the wrong man - he's smart, articulate, humble and believes in the individual over the state. The greatest thing to ever happen to AHRC is Tim's appointment.
The left's hate of him is proof the leftards are worried which is good.
Posted by: Account Deleted | December 18, 2013 at 02:13 PM
There's the same percentage of gay folks in right-wing circles as there are in any other circle. They're just usually less overt about their sexuality and more likeable like most people on the right.
Posted by: John Mc | December 18, 2013 at 02:38 PM
I didn't say he was "special" in centre-right circles Andy, but he is a rare "voice".
http://www.timwilson.com.au/articles/equality-for-all-couples-wont-destroy-society
he's smart, articulate, humble and believes in the individual over the state.
Yes, that's how he comes across when he's on The Drum and Q & A - and he's always smiling.
Good on him :-)
Posted by: Arthur Dent | December 18, 2013 at 03:08 PM
That is a bit to difficult to comprehend for some who comment here, John. I think there is an expectation that Wilson will spend all of his time as a raging advocate for SSM.
Having read Wilson's article referred to in Dent's lead, I found it an interesting point of view, but that is all it is - a point of view - and not the be all and end all of the debate by a long shot.
Posted by: Allan | December 18, 2013 at 03:42 PM
He may not go at SSM much at all in an official HRC capacity. I'd say he's seen an opportunity to defend elementary human rights, and he'll start at the bottom with number one being free speech, and get the foundations set in stone before he does anything else.
I see the HRC in Australia as a proxy bill of rights. Because we don't have that many rights enshrined in our Constitution we need a full-time organisation defending the basic principles of an open and free society, and the HRC is it. The key message is this organisation is not a vehicle for social engineering, it's a defender of elementary rights and liberties.
Posted by: John Mc | December 18, 2013 at 05:36 PM
The howls of outrage from the Left is proof enough that this is a good appointment.
Posted by: Peter Simmons | December 18, 2013 at 07:22 PM
Looks like Brandis is having regrets already:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-18/brandis-says-government-not-tied-to-rights-commissioners-views/5163674
Posted by: dB | December 18, 2013 at 09:51 PM
Tim Wilson is a prominent member of the Institute of Public Affairs. Read his profile here :
http://ipa.org.au/people/tim-wilson
So what if he is IPA and/or straight/gay?
He will be fighting the odds as a board member of the Australian Human Rights Commission.
See Andy's info at 4 above for board members.
A bit of balance won't hurt the AHRC.
Posted by: AlterEgo | December 19, 2013 at 10:02 AM
"A bit of balance won't hurt the AHRC."
Neither would a hand-grenade.
Posted by: Allan | December 19, 2013 at 10:05 AM
But you might hurt Tim!
Have a good Christmas!
Posted by: AlterEgo | December 19, 2013 at 10:20 AM
The second image clearly breaches Trademark and should get the retailer in deep shit under Liberal or Labor.
Anyone who doesn't see that is a biased fool.
Posted by: SignedIn | December 27, 2013 at 10:51 AM
The second image quite clearly acknowledges the author of the image and all it contains. There is no attempt to mislead anyone in that regard. So where is the breach of copyright?
Posted by: Allan | December 28, 2013 at 12:41 PM
Correction: copyright? should read copyright/trademark?
Posted by: Allan | December 28, 2013 at 12:50 PM
It's clearly not authentic - hence a breach of trademark. It's like a knock off Louis Vuitton. The owner of the trademark has every right to enforce it, and your pathetic defence of the knock off speaks volumes.
Posted by: SignedIn | January 15, 2014 at 12:34 AM