SYDNEY, Sept 12 (Askume) – Australia’s left-wing government unveiled new hate crime laws on Thursday that would see offenders jailed if they target someone because of their race, gender, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation, with other penalties to be announced.
The bill comes after the government responded to a rise in hate incidents following the Israel-Gaza war and passed landmark legislation last year banning the Nazi salute and symbols of the terror group.
“No Australian should be targeted because of who they are or what they believe,” Justice Minister Mark Dreyfus said in a statement.
“We are proud to live in a vibrant, multicultural and diverse community that we must protect and enhance.”
The bill proposes that anyone who threatens force or violence against a group or individual could face up to five years in prison if the person fears that the threat will be carried out. If the threat poses a threat to the government, the offender could face up to seven years in prison.
The Labor government said it would introduce separate legislation on Thursday to tackle “doxxing”, the malicious posting of someone’s personal data online, with offenders facing up to six years in jail.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised to take steps to curb doxing after anti-Israel groups published the names, social media accounts and other personal details of hundreds of Jewish Australians online in February.
The anti-doxing bill would include a provision allowing victims to sue for “serious breaches of privacy,” but journalists and intelligence agencies would be exempt.
