The government plans to push its Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026 through Parliament on Jan. 20, turning Australia’s speech laws into something that reads more like a psychological test than a criminal code.

The same week that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was praising Iranians “standing up for their human rights,” his government was preparing to criminalize speech at home even when no one’s rights or feelings had actually been touched.

The bill’s centerpiece is a new racial vilification offense. It bans “publicly promoting or inciting hatred” based on race, color, or national or ethnic origin, with penalties of up to five years in prison.