12 September 2024 – Today the Albanese Government has introduced a hate crimes bill that contains no protections against hate speech or serious vilification, despite the present, urgent threats to the LGBTIQ+ community.
The community has called for stronger, broader protections from hate and vilification and should be a part of broader responses that include education and greater investment in community led responses.
“We should be stopping hate before it translates into violence.
“The current threats to the community are real, severe and worrying. We are currently working with local groups across the country who are facing threats to their events, intimidation and vile hate speech, just for being who they are. Small but noisy fringe groups are getting louder with libraries and councils now caught up in the rising tide of hate against our community,” said CEO of Equality Australia, Anna Brown.
“LGBTIQ+ communities do not have sufficient protection under the law. For our communities the need for greater protection from hate and vilification is urgent. These laws must cover hate speech and conduct as well as threats of violence.
“Our political leaders should be sending a clear message that Australia is not a country of division and hate and this kind of harmful rhetoric has no place on our streets, in our libraries and online.
“We want a federal law that protects all of us. The patchwork of laws across the country have crucial gaps and are not fit for purpose.”
Equality Australia is currently working with Pride groups across the country whose events are being shut down and organisers harassed. Equality Australia is also monitoring groups trying to enact book bans, alongside propagating hateful and damaging stereotypes about our communities. Hate speech and conduct is a common element in each of these instances.
Equality Australia welcomes the inclusion of the LGBTIQ+ community in the proposed bill and the introduction of criminal penalties but would like to see the scope of the bill significantly expanded so that harmful forms of hate and vilification facing our communities are captured.
Media contact: Emily Mulligan, emily.mulligan@equalityaustralia.org.au, 0411 207 633
