Mary Kostakidis is one of Australia’s finest journalists, but more than that, she also resolutely stands against oppression and injustice.

I witnessed this first hand when I worked alongside Mary in the Australian Assange campaign. But now she finds herself on the receiving end of an extensive complaint by Alon Cassuto, the CEO of the Zionist Federation of Australia, a renowned member of the powerful Israel lobby group in this country, over tweets and retweets Ms. Kostakidis has made since October 7.

As Ms. Kostakidis is forced to ‘lawyer up’ to defend herself against Mr. Cassuto who has engaged Arnold Bloch Liebler, a firm which has been acting for a number of pro Israel activists since October 7, broader issues are at stake.

I am not, in this analysis, offering any legal views on the Cassuto complaint, particularly the purported use of s18C of the Commonwealth Racial Discrimination Act, which prohibits the doing of an act that is reasonably likely to “offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate” someone on the basis of their race or ethnicity.”

As an aside however it is ironic, but not surprising given the gross hypocrisy of the hard right in this country, that they are not coming to Ms. Kostakidis’ defence. The hard right hates section 18C because they say it censors them. But when it suits them they are happy to see the Israel lobby and other causes........

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