Foxy,

You seem to be struggling with the concept of free speech.

Free speech is the right to expression without falling foul of the law the acceptable limits are with regards to defamation, incitement to criminal activity, child porn, but shouldn't include causing offence.

Telling someone to F-off or shut up, while impolite and boorish, in no way infringes on anyone's rights.

As for the reaction against Wicked Campers, I am amazed at how society is regressing and becoming more and more prudish and censorious.

Shows such as the Benny Hill show and not the 9 o'clock news would be banned as sexist etc. The following youtube shorts reflect my opinion:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJQHakkViPo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXDHjwaUtPI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCj6YNIpqmA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nyb3YHlI-Q

Secondly, you are shooting the messenger and ignoring the message.

SHY's outburst was vacuous, bigoted and sexist, and as bad as the proposal in the SMH and feminist magazines that there should be a curfew for men.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/a-curfew-for-men-what-a-great-idea-20180709-p4zqev.html

When we talk about two high profile Nevil nobody's like these two, that is what both are, we should not forget their combined base is less than one in six voters, both have form for talking rubbish, both are more than prepared to continue to do so, our senate inflicts them on us,reduce the number in that house, double the first preference[no preferences] votes needed to get a seat in that house of ill repute three years terms in step with the lower house and we would never hear from them again.

Shadow Minister,

We have an etiquette on posting on the internet.
We have an etiquette on how to debate and argue
intelligently there are rules for
how people are expected to behave in a civilised
society. So surely there must
be some sort of standard for the behaviour that
we should be able to accept from our Members of
Parliament.

Therefore making personal comments
and yelling them out across the chamber not
only does it not add anything to what was being
discussed at the time (violence against women)
but it was demeaning to say the least as well as
being irrelevant to the issues being discussed.
Personal attacks on one's opponent are always
irrelevant. Their height, weight, religion, sexual
preferences, political inclinations,
or anything personal is never relevant.

We all know full well that
people who enjoy the rights of free speech have a duty
to respect other people's rights. A person's freedom
of speech is limited by the rights of others. For example
their right to maintain their good reputation and their
right to privacy.

All democratic societies put various
limitations on what people may say. They prohibit certain
types of speech that they believe might harm the government
or people. We have laws covering libel and slander. Laws
against urging violence, public decency, and so on.

DL is being sued for defamation. We shall see where that
goes and if the courts agree with SHY's claim.

Belly,

You hit the nail on the head, but it is closer to one in 12.

The thought of putting them in a cage and letting them sort it out makes me smile.

Foxy,

I agree that both SHY and DL should be admonished for yelling out offensive comments. However, 18c is the only law in place to prosecute people for offensive speech and nothing exists in any western country for breaches of etiquette.

Thinking of SHY's proposed lawsuit, the main defence against slander is showing that what was said was truthful. DL's defence would enable him to subpoena and interrogate SHY in huge detail on her sex life, which could then be reported in the papers. I can hardly wait.

Shadow Minister,

It will be an interesting outcome.

Foxy,

If Sarah wins and gets some money she should not give it all to charity but keep just enough to buy the whole "Sea Patrol" series.

Seeing as she did so well with only one episode, just imagine the heights to which she could soar with the whole story.