Victorians who incite hateful or threatening behaviour will face up to five years in jail under the Allan Government’s proposed anti-vilification laws. Source: The Age.
Premier Jacinta Allan detailed the long-awaited changes – which include tough fines and jail sentences for perpetrators of hate crimes – yesterday, claiming “American-style division” was infiltrating Victoria.
The proposed laws would expand protections for race and religion, which exist under the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act, to include factors such as gender, sexuality and disabilities.
The Government will also seek to amend the current exemptions under freedom of expression, which offer some protections in areas such as art and academic research or for religious purposes and matters of public interest.
The new laws would also create civil offences under the Equal Opportunity Act for vilification on the grounds of personal attributes and expand the Crimes Act to include tough penalties for those who incite hatred.
Ms Allan said the laws would help keep Victorians safe from vilification in all settings.
Other changes to existing freedom of expression protections include a tougher threshold for the public interest exemption, while the definition of religious purposes will be amended to clarify what is considered a “genuine religious purpose”.
Church leaders and faith-based groups have previously said the reforms could erode protections for religious freedom and invite discrimination against people expressing orthodox beliefs. They also expressed concern over the change to the definition of the religious purpose exemption.
Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes said she met with various faith groups, including the Australian Christian Lobby and the Catholic Church, to discuss those concerns.
“As a result of some of those meetings, I have ensured that the second reading speech, which will become available … [on Wednesday] in the [lower house], will make it clear that it’s intended that reasonably conveying a belief and proselytising falls within the exception.”
FULL STORY
‘United against American-style division’: Long-awaited anti-vilification reforms reach parliament (By Carla Jaeger and Kieran Rooney, The Age)
