He's has a long and distinguished career as one of Australia's top Indigenous athletes, but it is Adam Goodes' tireless work in the wider community tackling racism and inequality that has seen him named 2014 Australian of the Year.
The moment a teenager yells out "ape" to Sydney Swans footballer Adam Goodes. Source: Supplied
AUSTRALIAN of the Year Adam Goodes would have had no cause to point out the fan who called him an ape under the proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act.
According to Amnesty International Australia's legal spokeswoman Katie Wood, the Sydney Swans star "wouldn't be able to make a complaint under the new proposal" if he was racially vilified like he was during the AFL's Indigenous round last year.
"It would be a bit tricky," Ms Wood told news.com.au.
"An ordinary person sitting on a bus who is racially vilified by somebody random wouldn't have that spotlight available to them. That's why it's important that they have the opportunity to make a complaint through the Racial Discrimination Act."
At the time, a shattered Goodes, of Indigenous descent, said his superb performance meant "nothing" after the racist taunt by a 13-year-old girl in the crowd.
"To come to the boundary line and hear a 13-year-old girl call me an ape is absolutely shattering," an emotional Goodes said.
"How can that happen? This week is a celebration of our people and our culture.
"To play such a pivotal role in such a huge game sort of means nothing to me now."
MORE: ADAM GOODES 'HEARTBROKEN' OVER TAUNT
MORE: GOVT'S MEDIA RELEASE RE: DISCRIMINATION ACT
Goodes points security to the teenager who called him an "ape". Source: Supplied
The moment Goodes is called an "ape". Source: Supplied
Security remove the teenager from the stadium upon erquest by Adam Goodes. Source: Supplied
Earlier this week the Attorney-General George Brandis released a draft proposal to the Racial Discrimination Act, first imposed by the Whitlam government in 1975.
The Act hasn't been updated since 1995 and the Abbott government feel like its time to spruce it up.
Mr Brandis argues the current laws amount to "political censorship", while the proposed laws "are the strongest protections against racism that have ever appeared in any Commonwealth Act".
"It is not, in the Government's view, the role of the State to ban conduct merely because it might hurt the feelings of others," he said.
Problem is, the proposed changes are causing quite a stir, sparking a heated national debate that has us questioning what it means to be a bigot.
MORE: BRANDIS SAYS 'PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO BE BIGOTS'
MORE: INDIGENOUS ADVISORY URGES ABBOTT TO DROP CHANGES
MORE: VIEW GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSED CHANGES
'Racism has a face. It's a 13-yo girl,' Swans champ Adam Goodes tells of the shattering moment he heard a racial slur from the boundary line.
Here's how it works.
The draft proposes to repeal Section 18C of the Act, which makes it unlawful for someone to "offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate" a person based on the colour of their skin or their cultural background.
Within that section, the government wants to remove the words "offend, insult and humiliate", while retaining "intimidate" and adding "vilify".
Along with removing Section 18C, other sections are out to get cut, including 18D, which protects freedom of speech.
Section 18B, which allows race or colour as cause for hate speech, and 18E are also in the firing line.
MORE: THIS IS ABBOTT'S WORST WEEK
Political editor Tory Shepherd and Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi discuss whether the government's decision to change section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act is the right move.
But a sneaky passage has critics concerned.
The draft excuses "words, sounds, images or writing" in "the public discussion of any political, social, cultural, religious, artistic, academic or scientific matter".
The issue with this, according to Ms Wood, is the difficulty the public could face proving a person was racially vilified.
"It's protecting people who have the biggest mouthpiece, but not the ordinary person who gets insulted on a bus.
"What it is seeking to do is to deprive the ordinary person of an opportunity to hold to account the person who uttered the language in a way that's accessible, that doesn't place a burden on the courts and captures what it means to be racially vilified.
"[The [victim] would have to say the person who used the language was trying to incite racial hatred against you and that you felt intimidated, but you're more likely to feel humiliated.
"The ordinary racist language that people regrettably indulge in would have the effect of humiliate, insult and offend and that is equally unacceptable as feeling intimidated."
The Attorney-General Senator George Brandis has been highly criticised regarding the reforms to the Racial Discrimination Act 1995. Source: News Corp Australia
It's important to note the changes haven't been approved by the Senate yet.
Mr Brandis has to convince the floor the proposed changes are a good idea, considering the Greens and Labor deeply oppose.
Independent MP Nick Xenophon also joins that list, so it looks like the swing vote may very well end up in the hands of the Palmer United Party.
"First of all we will determine what our position is,'' Clive Palmer said.
"We will be strategic about determining the right time to reveal our position."
The government is calling for submissions on the exposure draft before April 30, before the Senate will vote on the changes after it reconvenes on May 13 after a six-week hiatus.
But with many, including Ms Wood, arguing the Act is "not what Australia is about", Mr Brandis has a tough gig ahead of him.
Critics of Tony Abbott are saying this has been the PM's worst week in office. Source: News Corp Australia
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