The Racial Discrimination Act makes it unlawful to offend or insult someone based on race, colour or national or ethnic origin. But there are at least another 23 Commonwealth acts which make it an offence to insult or offend a public official or use insulting or offensive language in an official context.

For example, it is an offence to insult a registrar or magistrate in a bankruptcy examination, a member of the Australian Competition Tribunal, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the Australian Energy Regulator, the Copyright Tribunal, a royal commission, the Veterans’ Review Board or the Fair Work Commission.