Bigots can’t escape justice: Tribunal
A Newcastle taxi driver has been ordered to stop posting anti-gay diatribes on YouTube or face contempt charges in the Supreme Court.
John Sunol, 51, was slapped down by the Administrative Decisions Tribunal for repeated online comments that faggots were wicked evil people … and out to destroy society and failing to abide by a voluntary agreement to stop.
Magistrate Nancy Hennessy said in her ruling against Sunol that the effect of registering his previous agreement with the Tribunal meant it could now be enforced. Further vilification can be referred to the Supreme Court for contempt charges without the need for those vilified to file additional complaints.
She also found defamatory comments about Mardi Gras -” that it was run by pedophiles and drug lords -” could be barred under anti-gay vilification laws.
Sunol has already indicated he does not intend to abide by the laws.
[I]f I go to prison I go to prison as a martyr for Jesus Christ and I use this to promote the truth of this event, Sunol wrote on his Yahoo group website in March.
I also stir up those inside prison to break the faggots law as well without thinking and in complete and utter contempt of the law and those who prisoned [sic] me.
Last week he announced on YouTube he was prepared to fight contempt charges in the Supreme Court and didn’t care about the potential consequences.
His latest YouTube commentary videos have attacked outgoing High Court judge Michael Kirby for being homosexual, as well as Kirby’s replacement Virginia Bell for being an unmarried woman at 57 and for there being too many women on the court.
Those people should be kept out of the High Court … it’s left-wing feminist bullshit.
The original complainant, Henry Collier, a member of the Sydney Star Observer board of directors, said the ruling showed the Tribunals were willing to give teeth to the law.
We gave them what appeared to be a textbook example to pursue the law. If they’re going to have vilification laws, then they need to enforce them, Collier told SSO.
Other anti-gay vilification cases had been about radio broadcasts, and at the time he wasn’t certain if online comments would be treated the same.
Almost immediately after [Sunol] signed the agreement he violated it, posting stuff on the internet. The only reason he signed the agreement was to avoid further prosecution.
Now it looks like the Tribunal is prepared to back it up with contempt charges.
Have your say: Should online anti-gay comments be punished?
Apparently John Sunol is heading back to court next week to try and challenge the orders against him in the NSW Supreme Court. Will SSO be there to report on this attempt to water down the anti-vilification laws in NSW?
Jail the bastard!!!!!!
Sorry, folks, but his comments are not a free speech, but a scaremongering and vilification. He should be jailed.
Free Speech is one thing, but to go to the next level and use Christianity to justify your actions is wrong! How many times have you sat in a Taxi and listen to their Drivel, and then they do all they can to Rip you off!
After watching some of Sunol’s videos, I withdraw my comment above: the guy needs serious help.
Admin, this is not a freedom of speech issue.
If John Sunol has valid criticisms of the gay community to make he can do it without using vile slurs and disgusting false claims about pedophilia and “drug lords”.
Freedom of speech is not the freedom to vilify people or spread vicious lies about them.
There is a BIG difference between free speech and a hate crime!!!!
typo sorry!!
That should read ” how can people support this attempt’ !
How can people complain about this attempt at censorship of free speech yet rail against Conroy’s attempt at Net censorship in the other news story?
You’re either for censorship, or your against censorship and support free speech.
Agreed! Lots of heterosexual people also admire His Honour.
I back John, cauze it´s not about gays anymore. freedom of speech…in my opinion thats the major issue. if henry wins this case, then australia and all of you living there will be in trouble. sorry about this bad english.
Michael Kirby is a cool judge that I look up to when I had the guts to come out – Let this judge be PM!!!
Bet this doesn’t stop him though …. honestly, jail would have been a better way to make the point
Agreed Jason, and with this precedent established they can be put on notice.
That bigotry is vile and does not reflect the majority of heterosexual views. Justice Michael Kirby is a beautiful man with a beautiful and brilliant mind and impeccable character. I’m outraged – and I’m heterosexual!
Quite often The Daily Telegraphs so-called “news” website is littered in anti-gay comments – some threating violence.