▁issue ▁( Just ice ▁B rom berg ▁had ▁once ▁stood ▁for ▁Labor ▁pre - selection ). ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Abb ott ▁Government ▁proposed ▁significant ▁changes ▁to ▁section ▁ 1 8 C ▁in ▁a ▁draft ▁bill ▁put ▁on ▁public ▁exhibition , ▁which ▁would ▁have ▁substantial ly ▁limited ▁the ▁scope ▁of ▁the ▁prohib ition . ▁The ▁Att orney - General , ▁George ▁Brand is , ▁def ended ▁the ▁proposed ▁changes , ▁stating ▁that ▁people ▁have ▁" a ▁right ▁to ▁be ▁big ots ". ▁Trade ▁Union ist ▁Paul ▁How es ▁argued ▁that ▁section ▁ 1 8 C ▁st ret ches ▁out ▁its ▁fingers ▁" into ▁the ▁real m ▁of ▁what ▁Or well ▁might ▁have ▁called ▁a ▁Th ought ▁Crime ". ▁After ▁public ▁consult ation ▁and ▁opposition ▁by ▁minor ity ▁groups , ▁the ▁Government ▁did ▁not ▁proceed ▁with ▁the ▁proposed ▁changes . ▁ ▁More ▁recently , ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Turn b ull ▁Government ▁have ▁proposed ▁less ▁significant ▁and ▁nar ro wer ▁changes ▁to ▁section ▁ 1 8 C , ▁and ▁the ▁Att orney - General , ▁George ▁Brand is , ▁has ▁asked ▁for ▁the ▁J oint ▁Parliament ary ▁Committee ▁on ▁Human ▁Rights ▁to ▁conduct ▁an ▁inqu iry ▁on ▁the ▁appropri aten ess ▁of ▁section ▁in ▁its ▁current ▁form . ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁the ▁Australian ▁Law ▁Reform ▁Commission ▁called ▁for ▁review ▁of ▁section ▁ 1 8 C , ▁stating ▁“ In ▁particular , ▁there ▁are ▁arguments ▁that ▁s 1 8 C ▁la cks ▁sufficient ▁precision