A Labor politician has sharply criticised comments by a One Nation senator who said people were afraid to report crimes committed by Muslims because of race-hate laws.
The Racial Discrimination Act currently makes it illegal to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate people on the basis of their race or ethnicity.
The Government, citing defence of free speech, proposed to remove the words insult, offend and humiliate and replace them with harass.
The proposed changes to the law have failed to pass the Senate on Thursday night.
One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts during a debate earlier said the debate is not just about free speech but, also, the freedom to report crimes committed by Muslims.
It was the latest in a series of anti-Islamic comments from One Nation senators, and Muslim community leaders say it is a concerning trend.
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