Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says there are "worthy arguments" in favour of softening the Racial Discrimination Act but the issue is not a current "priority" for his government.
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The question of whether to scrap or amend section 18c of the act – which prohibits speech that offends, insults, humiliates or intimidates on the basis of race – has been a distraction for the government since the election.
Crossbench senators and government backbenchers who believe the act restricts free speech have been agitating for change and plan to take up the issue when Parliament resumes later this month. Former prime minister Tony Abbott last week said his government should have pursued less ambitious changes to the Act by simply removing the terms "offend' and "insult" while leaving more serious protections against hate speech in place.
Mr Abbott dropped his bid to change the act in 2014 on the grounds it was a distraction in the fight against terrorism.
In an interview on Fairfax radio on Friday Mr Turnbull did not rule out making any changes to Section 18c, but said the government was focussed on the economy.
"It's not a priority for us," he said when asked whether he would change the law. "We have a very extensive legislative program on the policies we took to the election.
"With all due respects to the very worthy arguments surrounding it, it is not going to create an extra job or ... build an extra road."
Mr Turnbull said he was firmly focussed on lifting economic growth and creating jobs rather than the Racial Discrimination Act.
Liberal senators Cory Bernardi and Dean Smith have co-sponsored a private member's bill with Family First senator Bob Day and Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm to soften the act. They plan to present the bill in the next session of Parliament.
Even if the government did reverse its position and support changing the Act, it would still be unlikely to succeed. Nick Xenophon has indicated his party is opposed to change, meaning any bill would not pass the Senate.
Section 18c came to the fore after it was used by a group of indigenous Australians to sue Andrew Bolt over an article in which he suggested they had played up their indigenous heritage for their own advantage.
Senator David Leyonhjelm this week lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission over an article by Fairfax Media chief political correspondent Mark Kenny that described him as an "angry white male". Senator Leyonhjelm said his complaint showed how "absurd" the Act is.
