Concerns raised over police powers for dealing with hate crimes

There are concerns Tasmania Police officers are not being provided with adequate training to record and prosecute hate crimes.

THERE are concerns around a potential lack of police powers for dealing with hate crimes, with a Hobart council working group revealing Tasmania Police does not have the mechanism to record hate crimes on its database.

The matter was discussed at the community culture and events committee meeting in September, with concerns raised around the rate of hate crimes in Hobart.

Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said action was needed.

“A few people have raised with me over a number of months similar concerns and I’m pretty worried about it,” Cr Reynolds said.

“It’s something we do need to take seriously.”

Cr Reynolds said she had recently heard concerning reports.

“It certainly was raised to me on the weekend, someone had experienced a really awful attack in the mall,” she said.

“They were a person of colour themselves, but they had seen a couple they didn’t know being bashed in the mall.”

Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds. Picture: Zak Simmonds

The Lord Mayor believed Covid had had an impact on hate crimes in Hobart.

“I think Covid has changed some of the dynamics and how people are being treated and viewed,” Cr Reynolds said.

“I do feel like maybe we should bring a few people together and see what else we should be doing in the post-Covid environment.”

Cr Reynolds believed stronger messaging was needed around Hobart.

A working group – including the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, Council on the Ageing, the Multicultural Council of Tasmania and Disability Voices Tasmania – has been meeting to develop plans for dealing with hate crimes.

The group was also concerned police officers were not provided with adequate training to prosecute hate crimes and that the only legislation in Tasmania relating to hate crimes was the sentencing act, which the group believed had limited scope.

Tasmania Police Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Higgins said whether a crime was a hate crime depended on the individual circumstances of each case.

“As such, available statistics are recorded under the actual nature of the crime, ie assault,” he said.

“All reports of crimes are taken seriously and people are encouraged to come forward to police to report them so the matter can be fully investigated.”

Assistant Police Commissioner Jonathan Higgins says crimes are recorded under the nature of the crime, not whether it is a hate crime or not. Picture Chris Kidd

Assistant Commissioner Higgins said police officers did undertake cultural awareness training.

“Students Against Racism attend and conduct workshops with each recruit course,” he said.

“They are a group of young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds who share their stories and experiences.

“They discuss customs within their cultures and barriers that may arise when interacting with police.”

He also said Aboriginal awareness workshops were conducted with each recruit course along with workplace communication lessons focusing on cultural differences and vulnerable people.