Brisbane Archdiocese is voicing support for a new Queensland bill targeting antisemitism that increases penalties for people interrupting Masses, assaulting priests and stealing from churches, but questions sections targeting free speech and religious freedom. Source: The Catholic Leader.
Announcing the “Fighting Antisemitism and Keeping Guns out of the Hands of Terrorists and Criminals Amendment Bill 2026” on February 8, Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said the reforms delivered the strongest possible protections to address the growing threats faced by the community.
“This is about drawing a clear line – and stamping out the embers of hatred that were allowed to burn unchecked for too long – to ensure we protect Queenslanders,” Mr Crisfafulli said.
In a submission to Parliament, the Brisbane Archdiocese said faith communities across Australia “have experienced harassment, graffiti, threats, and organised protest activity directed at congregations and clergy”, with some of these incidents turning violent.
The archdiocese submission acknowledged the rise of antisemitism in Australia, saying the Church stood in solidarity with the Jewish community and all faith communities experiencing religiously motivated violence.
It said the objective of the bill to protect vulnerable communities from hatred, intimidation and violence was “both legitimate and morally necessary”.
The archdiocese supported the broader protections for faith communities but remained cautious of other parts of the bill.
It warns that the bill’s broad ministerial discretion, low criminal threshold and lack of safeguards posed threats to religious freedom and free speech.
The archdiocese and many other organisations also criticised the narrow consultation window, especially given the complexity of the legislation around criminal liability and civil liberties.
Brisbane Archdiocese expressed “grave concerns” for the bill’s attempt to ban specific phrases at ministerial discretion.
“The criminalisation of speech is among the most serious forms of state intervention,” it said.
“Where the executive is empowered to define new categories of criminal speech by regulation, the safeguards must be especially robust.”
Read the Archdiocese of Brisbane’s submission here.
FULL STORY
Brisbane archdiocese backs new protections for faith communities, warns against powers to ban speech (By Joe Higgins, Brisbane Archdiocese)
