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Queensland is set to have 'the strongest hate crime laws in the country’
IN 2023, there’s just no place for racial prejudice, hatred or vilification in Queensland. It’s not ok and there’s no excuse for it.
As your local representatives, we want our community here in Brisbane’s South to be a place of safety; a place where you can foster a sense of belonging with your friends and family and make a home for life.
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We want to see a Queensland which is a place of acceptance and tolerance – for everyone.
But the reality is that that isn’t always the case.
We know that too many Queenslanders, particularly in our community, have experienced the devastating effects of racism and bigotry first-hand.
That is why the Palaszczuk Government is introducing legislation to protect every Queenslander – no matter who you are.
These reforms will increase penalties for offences that are motivated by hatred because of someone’s race and religion.
We will also make it easier to charge people with haterelated crimes by removing outdated procedures.
In addition, our changes will make it a crime to display hate symbols, such as those related to Nazi ideology. However, it is important to note that this does not include the display of the swastika which is a symbol that has been used by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains for millennia. These will be some of the strongest hate crime laws in Australia and send a strong message that there is no place for hate in Queensland.
From day one, we have worked closely with our multicultural and diverse communities and listened to their experiences. It was important to make sure this legislation would work well, and that we understood where reform was really needed.
If you’d like to know more about the new laws and stay up to date, please follow Peter Russo or James Martin’s pages on Facebook. We will both be making sure the community is kept updated throughout this important legislative process.
We’re also starting a pledge to show the community’s support for these changes as they move through the Parliament.
You can sign that pledge on our websites or through our Facebook pages.
We have a wonderful community here in Brisbane’s South, and these laws will make it an even safer, more accepting place to live – for us, and for all Queenslanders.
