A government MP is demanding the treatment of racism be "cut both ways" while moving to protect the Australian flag from being mutilated or destroyed.
Outspoken conservative George Christensen believes racism is only called out in Australia if it's against a minority, saying flag burning at an indigenous protest last year should have been punished.
Mr Christensen on Monday introduced a private bill to make it a criminal offence to destroy or mutilate the Australian flag with the intention of disrespecting the flag or the nation.
"Racism is racism, you don't have to have brown skin in order to be offended," he told parliament.
"You don't have to follow a radical ideology based on death, fear, torture and degradation of women to be offended."
The Nationals MP noted other failed attempts in 2003, 2006 and 2008 to specifically protect the flag from burning, but believes the times have changed.
"The ill winds blow and the sea of public discourse is polluted with the distracting and self-harming froth and bubble of our own making," he said.
"The chattering classes of the self-proclaimed elite egged on by the compliant and self-serving media are forcing the entire nation to apologise for everything the nation is and represents."
He conceded the main argument against his bill was to support free speech, but believes burning a flag isn't speaking.
In any case, "that ship sailed" when the Racial Discrimination Act prohibited offending, insulting, humiliating or intimidating someone on the basis of race.
"If this bill was on the desecration of the Aboriginal flag this would be a very short debate indeed," he said.
"But the politically-correct crowd only tolerates intolerance and discrimination if it's against the perceived majority.
"But the perceived majority is rapidly becoming a political minority in their own country."
If Australians sold off free speech in exchange for "appeasement" it must cut both ways, he said.
He blames political correctness and "thought police" for the rise of inflammatory political figures like Donald Trump, accusing them of "giving birth to something they find even more intolerable".
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