Proposed Australian law makes it an offense to insult Gaming Minister Michael O'Brien

Cory Doctorow 10:09 am Tue Oct 18, 2011

The state of Victoria, Australia is considering legislation making it an offense to "assault, obstruct, hinder, threaten, abuse, insult or intimidate" the state's Gaming Minister Michael O'Brien or his staff. Laws against insulting government ministers are not customary in liberal democracies, a fact that has not escaped the opposition in Victoria's Parliament:

State Labor has seized on the extraordinary amendment, with Opposition gaming spokesman Martin Pakula branding the minister "Windscreens O'Brien – because this proves he's got a glass jaw".

"Is the minister so precious that he now needs legislation to protect him from insults?" he said.

"I thought I better make these comments before the Bill passes in case I breach the new rules and insult Mr O'Brien."

(Image: Not very insulting, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from 13825570@N04's photostream)

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