ACT to introduce jail time for serious hate speech offences
ACT Attorney-General Tara Cheyne announced a bill coming in December. It will introduce jail sentences for serious vilification offences.
The ACT is the only Australian jurisdiction where serious hate speech offences carry no jail term. Attorney-General Tara Cheyne said the government will introduce a bill in December.
It will overhaul hate crimes and vilification laws. The change will also expand bans on Nazi symbols.
It will include SS bolts and Nazi salutes. Currently the penalty for vilification is lower than the penalty for displaying a Nazi swastika.
A review found serious vilification offences are rarely prosecuted. Stakeholders reported rising hate speech against many groups.
These include religious communities, multicultural groups, First Nations people, people with disability and LGBTQIA+ people. The bill will simplify the vilification offence.
It removes complex legal elements that make cases harder to investigate and prosecute. Further consultation will examine a specific offence for calculated attacks.
These include luring gay and bisexual men via apps to locations where they have been robbed or assaulted.
- December
- Bill timing
- Nine
- Review recommendations supported
Why it mattersJail terms aim to stop serious hate crimes. They send a clear message. Vilification against vulnerable communities will be punished.
AustraliaACT residents will gain stronger legal protection against hate speech, though other Australian jurisdictions already carry jail terms for these offences.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 35 min ago
