Australia Enacts Tough Hate Speech Laws

The Criminal Code Amendment (Hate Crimes) Bill 2024 targets the most extreme types of damaging hate speech, which include supporting and threatening the use of force or violence against a group or a member of a group, as well as against a religious institution or private individual.

The amendment ensures that the conviction of hate crime under the Criminal Code subsection 80.2H(1) and 80.2HA(1) will attach a minimum of 12 months imprisonment and six years for the conviction of terrorism offenses under the Criminal Code Division 101 or 102.