Beefed-up hate laws won’t touch religious free pass
Religious exceptions to anti-vilification laws will be guaranteed as protected groups are expanded and criminal offences created to stamp out deepening hate and division.
Naomi Levin
Flanked by religious, community and equality leaders, Victoria’s Premier Jacinta Allan and Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes confirmed changes to anti-vilification and social cohesion laws on Tuesday.
Ms Allan said the legislation would crack down on people who try to whip up hatred against others and make it easier for police to lay charges.
WHAT THEY SAID:
Our current weak laws have meant that for far too long, Victorians have been able to get away with vilifying and assaulting Jews and people from other minority groups. We are pleased that the Victorian Government has taken steps to strengthen both the civil and criminal vilification laws. We urge the Parliament to speedily debate and implement these essential reforms. It would be regrettable if implementation were to drag out into the second half of 2025.
“The Jewish community supports the Bill’s proposals to criminalise incitement to hatred and to introduce stronger penalties for those who are found guilty of incitement. It is welcome that this Bill also seeks to address vilification in online, given how much hate speech is spread through social media and extremist websites.
“These reforms must address other emerging challenges, including stopping individuals who try to circumvent laws by using proxy words to vilify a particular minority and individuals who seek to boycott business-owners because of their religious, racial or ethnic identity.”
“We note that the Bill proposes a new “political expression” defence. The JCCV looks forward to further engaging with the Victorian Government to ensure this defence does not become a catch-all measure that renders these new laws unworkable.”
“This is a challenging and sensitive area of the law, but the intention at all times must be to create a society where all people, regardless of their background, feel welcome and safe.” – CEO of The Jewish Community Council of VictoriaNaomi Levi
“The right to wear a hijab or a kippah, the right to wear a cassock or a turban on our streets and not be chased down, not be threatened, not be bullied, not be doxxed – you will always have that right” – Premier Jacinta Allan
“These are severe penalties. Threatening behaviour, five years. Inciting hatred, this is three years” – Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes
“(The reforms) will make the boy that goes to school in a (Jewish) school uniform safer, they will make the girl that wants to wear the Star of David in the CBD safer” – Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann
“Those of us who grew up in a community and in a society with a very different surname and felt that wrath back in those days – we don’t want our children to feel that anymore” – Greek Community of Melbourne and Victoria president Bill Papastergiadis
“The proposed reforms acknowledge that all women have a right to feel safe and respected” – Gender Equity Victoria chief executive Micaela Drieberg
“Almost two-thirds of the complaints about cyber abuse and image-based abuse sadly involve women” – Fair Agenda chief executive Renee Carr
“People who target vulnerable minorities to incite hatred and fear need to be called out and stopped” – Equality Australia chief executive Anna Brown
“Being vilified and otherwise treated hatefully is something that too many people with disability have to quietly put up with” – Victorian Disability Worker Commissioner Dan Stubbs
“We experience ridicule, we experience hate and this legislation is about saying that’s not okay” – Women with Disabilities Victoria acting chief executive Julie Kun
“This legislation isn’t about restricting freedom of speech – it’s about ensuring freedom from violence and hate” – Victorian Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ Communities Joe Ball
“The expanded and strengthened protections means that all Victorians will be able to participate in daily life without fearing being attacked or ridiculed for how they look, where they come from or their abilities and identities” – Multicultural Commissioner Judy Tang
