Cr Loretta Baker (pictured) urged Maitland City Council to oppose the government’s plans to change the Racial Discrimination Act earlier this year, which would have removed section 18c from the law.

Section 18c makes it illegal to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate a person or group based on their race or ethnicity. 

But Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced on Tuesday that the government would not proceed with the repeal.

Cr Baker said she was thrilled that the change to the Act had been scrapped.

“I’m very happy. It’s something we didn’t need,” she said.

“Whatever way they arrived at that decision, it doesn’t matter, I’m thrilled.”

Despite some concern that federal law was not council’s business, Maitland councillors wrote to Attorney General George Brandis in June to urge him to reconsider the repeal.

Maitland was one of more than 50 councils that voiced opposition to the changes.

NSW Opposition Leader John Robertson said the government’s backflip was humiliating.

“Removing section 18c of the Racial Discrimination Act is a change that should never have been contemplated in the first place,” he said.

“George Brandis’ statement that ­‘people have a right to be bigots’ was hurtful and offensive and will go down in history as a low point of this Liberal administration.”

NSW Minister for Citizenship and Communities Victor Dominello said the decision showed the federal government was listening to community concerns.

“The NSW government took a lead role in unequivocally opposing the proposed changes to section 18c,” he said.

“We support the protections currently in place under the federal Racial Discrimination Act. 

“These protections emphasise the practical importance of multiculturalism – particularly for our Aboriginal, multicultural and multi-faith communities.

“It was clear that these proposed changes were strongly opposed in ­communities across NSW.”