Attorney-General: ‘We know that there is a need to improve the robustness of our system in relation to hate speech and anti-vilification laws’

The Andrews government is set to widen its anti-vilification laws to include gender identity, sexual orientation, disability and HIV/AIDS status.

Expanded anti-vilification laws that would protect disabled and LGBTIQ+ Victorians from hate crimes could be legislated within 18 months.

Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes on Tuesday confirmed the government was in discussion with stakeholders about drafting legislation to make civil and criminal vilification easier to prove to help people seek justice through the courts.

In 2021, the government committed to extending anti-vilification protections beyond race and religion to also cover areas such as a person’s gender identity, sexual orientation, disability and HIV/AIDS status.

A parliamentary committee called on the government to toughen these laws and recommended lowering the legal threshold for incitement-based vilification.

LGBTIQ+ Victorians will have greater protection under the new laws. Picture: AFP

It comes after hundreds of angry protesters clashed at a City of Monash council meeting last week in response to a drag story time event planned for next month.

Ms Symes said the proposed legislation would protect vulnerable Victorians from hate crimes.

“We wish we did not have to do them at the outset, we really do, but we know that there is a need to improve the robustness of our system in relation to hate speech and anti-vilification laws and the like, and our commitment remains strong,” she said.

“It is complex, there are a lot of stakeholders that are interested and we are embarking on consultation right now.”

Victorian Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes says the proposed legislation will protect vulnerable Victorians from hate crimes. Picture: David Geraghty

Asked when the laws would be put before the parliament, Ms Symes said she was “reluctant to put a time frame on it” but within the next 18 months is “probably a safe bet”.

She said the government was currently working through major justice reforms including changes to bail laws and raising the age of criminality which had stalled the progress.

“I do not have a massive army of people to do all of this work, but that is why having the conversation and involving the public and interested stakeholders progresses the work and ensures that when we get to the nitty-gritty of actually drafting legislation and cabinet documents and the like, we have done all of the hard work and it is just a matter of doing the processes to implement what we need to do in here,” she said.