Australia’s Hate Laws and Civil Liberties: Community Preparedness in a Shifting Legal Landscape
Description
Don't miss this public panel on Australia's Hate Laws and encroachment on Civil Liberties with legal expert panellist: Greg Barns SC, Sarah Ibrahim, Nick Hanna, Rita Jabri Markwell, and Timothy Roberts, co-hosted by Noura Mansour from Democracy in Colour, and Jamal Hakim from the Australian Arab Institute for Culture and Ideas.
Australia’s Hate Laws and Civil Liberties: Community Preparedness in a Shifting Legal Landscape
Communities across Australia are increasingly navigating complex debates around hate speech, vilification laws, protest rights and civil liberties. Recent legal developments have raised important questions about how Australia balances protections against hate with fundamental democratic freedoms such as expression, protest and public participation.
For many communities of colour, these debates are not abstract. They shape how communities participate in public life, organise, speak out, and advocate for justice.
Hosted by the Australian Arab Institute for Culture and Ideas in partnership with Democracy in Colour, this public forum brings together leading legal experts to unpack the current legal framework and its real-world implications. The panel will explore how hate and vilification laws operate in Australia today, how they intersect with civil liberties, and what individuals and community organisations should understand in order to navigate this evolving legal environment.
The discussion will address key questions including:
• What do Australia’s current hate and vilification laws actually say?
• How do these laws interact with freedom of speech and protest rights?
• Are communities of colour disproportionately affected by the way these laws are enforced?
• What should community leaders, organisers, artists and institutions know about their legal rights and responsibilities?
• How can communities prepare while continuing to participate confidently in public life?
As a cultural institution dedicated to advancing knowledge, dialogue and civic participation, the Arab Institute convenes forums that strengthen legal literacy and encourage informed, constructive public conversation.
The evening will feature a moderated panel discussion followed by audience questions.
The panel will be moderated by Noura Mansour, National Director at Democracy in Colour, and Jamal Hakim, Executive Officer at the Australian Arab Institute for Culture and Ideas.
Note: This event is designed as an educational and community-facing panel discussion. It is not legal advice, but an opportunity to build shared understanding, legal literacy and informed public discussion.
Event Details
Date: Monday 30 March 2026
Time: 6:00pm – 7:30pm (AEDT Melbourne/Sydney time)
Format: Panel discussion followed by audience Q&A
This event is open to community members, students, activists, artists and anyone interested in understanding how Australia’s legal landscape around hate speech and civil liberties is evolving.
Panellists
Greg Barns SC
Greg Barns SC practices in the areas of criminal law, administrative law, intentional torts and human rights. He has a national practice with chambers in Hobart and Melbourne. He is a lecturer at RMIT University School of Law. Greg is a former National President of the Australian Lawyers Alliance. He graduated BA LLB from Monash University in 1984 and was admitted to practice in Victoria in 1986. Greg was a member of the Victorian Bar Council from 1987-1989 and a political adviser for 10 years before running the Republic Referendum campaign. He was chair of the Australian Republican Movement from 2000-02. Greg is a writer and columnist.
Sarah Ibrahim
Sarah Ibrahim is the founder and Executive Director of the Racial Justice Centre and Principal Director of Central Lawyers. Sarah holds a BA. Eco and LLB Laws and has over 17 years of experience practicing law.
Nick Hanna
Nick Hanna is a highly regarded criminal defence lawyer based in Sydney with extensive experience in serious and complex legal matters. He is principal of Hanna Legal, a law firm known for its work in criminal defence, civil litigation and professional disciplinary cases. Over many years he has built a strong reputation for defending a wide range of clients, from everyday people to high-profile individuals, across jurisdictions including New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. Nick is recognised within the legal profession for his strategic expertise and professionalism. He has consistently been listed in the Doyle’s Guide as one of Sydney’s preeminent criminal defence lawyers and has been described by media as one of the city’s “masters of defence”. Alongside his practice in criminal law, Nick has comprehensive experience across quasi-criminal matters, civil litigation and disciplinary proceedings. He also engages in public legal education through podcasts and public conversations that explore legal rights and the justice system. For this briefing, he will provide an expert overview of the new national hate laws, unpacking key provisions and responding to audience questions.
Rita Jabri Markwell
Rita Jabri Markwell is a hate-speech specialist lawyer at Birchgrove Legal who has acted in various matters against social media companies, politicians, News Corp Media and far-right organisations. She also works to defend professionals who’ve suffered political discrimination. She has contributed to scholarship and a range of parliamentary inquiries on hate speech and crime. Rita is Lebanese Australian.
Timothy Roberts
Timothy commenced in the legal profession in April 2020 at NEW Law, a law firm owned by unions and that provides legal services to unions, union members and the general public. Timothy commenced as a paralegal and research assistant to support Counsel Assisting the Teachers Federation Independent Inquiry into the status of teaching, and his work in this role contributed to the 2021 Valuing the teacher profession report. Timothy was admitted as a solicitor in July 2021. Timothy Roberts is currently employed as a solicitor at SBA Lawyers, a law firm with expertise in commercial litigation, dispute resolution, human rights, refugee law, and administrative law. Timothy commenced at SBA Lawyers in 2025 and has experience in a range of areas including industrial, employment, criminal and personal injury law. Prior to the commencement of his legal career, Timothy worked as a Senior Education Officer and Executive Officer at the NSW Education Standards Authority. He holds a Bachelor of Biomedical Science and a Master of Education from the University of Newcastle, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Technology Sydney. Timothy began his career as a secondary science teacher, working in regional NSW. In 2016, he was a representative for public schools on the Quality Teaching Council. He has also worked as a Relief Officer in many roles at the NSW Teachers Federation and been an association representative on their Branch Council. Timothy is the Past President of the NSW Young Lawyers and the President of the New South Wales Council for Civil Liberties.
Co-Host
Democracy in Colour
Democracy in Colour is an organisation that advocates for racial justice by identifying the various manifestations of racism in society and providing targeted and strategic interventions that centre the voices and lived experiences of racialised and marginalised communities. The work we do is built upon a rich legacy of community organising, personal sacrifices and collective wins of the anti-racism movement across the world.
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