Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has cautioned against curbing free speech after a court found News Limited columnist Andrew Bolt had breached the Racial Discrimination Act.
Federal Court Justice Mordy Bromberg has found fair-skinned Aboriginal people were reasonably likely to have been offended by newspaper articles written by Mr Bolt.
In a ruling on Wednesday he found the articles had contravened the Racial Discrimination Act.
Mr Abbott, visiting towns on the NSW mid north coast, said he could not comment on the specifics of the case. "But I just want to make this point," he told reporters.
"We should never do anything in this country which restricts the sacred principle of free speech.
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"Free speech means the right of people to say what you don't like, not just the right of people to say what you do like."
Outside court on Wednesday Mr Bolt said: "This is a terrible day for free speech in this country".
