This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/mar/29/queensland-to-introduce-legislation-banning-nazi-symbols-to-strengthen-response-to-hate-crimes
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Queensland to introduce legislation banning Nazi symbols to strengthen response to hate crimes | Queensland to introduce legislation banning Nazi symbols to strengthen response to hate crimes |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Proposed bill also aims to ensure those who commit crimes motivated by prejudice face tougher penalties | |
| Nazi hate symbols and tattoos will be banned in Queensland under proposed legislation to be introduced into parliament on Wednesday that aims to strengthen the state’s response to hate crimes and vilification. | |
| The Queensland government will introduce the legislation to ensure that those who commit crimes motivated by prejudice against specified groups will face tougher penalties, including longer custodial sentences. | |
| Existing offences will be amended to provide for a new circumstance of aggravation, including for common assault, going armed so as to cause fear, threatening violence, assault occasioning bodily harm, wilful damage, trespass and public nuisance. | Existing offences will be amended to provide for a new circumstance of aggravation, including for common assault, going armed so as to cause fear, threatening violence, assault occasioning bodily harm, wilful damage, trespass and public nuisance. |
| The proposed laws will also modify the criminal code to introduce a “prohibited symbols offence” which will ban the display of hate symbols, including those tied to nazism. | |
| Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup | Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup |
| Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup | Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup |
| The new offence will outlaw the public display, public distribution or publication of prohibited symbols in circumstances that “might reasonably be expected to cause a member of the public to feel menaced, harassed or offended”. | |
| The government’s hate symbol framework will include Nazi tattoos, as revealed by Guardian Australia this month. The public distribution or publication of prohibited symbols online will also be prohibited. | |
| There would be an exemption for Hindus, Buddhists and Jains, for whom swastikas are religious symbols. There will also be an exemption for when hate symbols were used for educational purposes. | |
| The chief executive of Multicultural Australia, Christine Castley, said she was “pleased” and “relieved” to see the introduction of the reforms. | The chief executive of Multicultural Australia, Christine Castley, said she was “pleased” and “relieved” to see the introduction of the reforms. |
| “The laws will enhance the safety of every person and every community in Queensland, especially for those culturally and linguistically diverse communities who all too often face harassment as they go about their lives in public spaces and places of worship,” Castley said. | “The laws will enhance the safety of every person and every community in Queensland, especially for those culturally and linguistically diverse communities who all too often face harassment as they go about their lives in public spaces and places of worship,” Castley said. |
| She said Multicultural Australia was proud to have been a part of the Cohesive Communities Coalition, which had advocated for these laws. | |
| “We will continue to amplify the voices of affected communities and individuals, and work with the Queensland government and response agencies such as the Queensland police to improve awareness and reporting of hate crimes,” she said. | “We will continue to amplify the voices of affected communities and individuals, and work with the Queensland government and response agencies such as the Queensland police to improve awareness and reporting of hate crimes,” she said. |
| Sign up to Guardian Australia's Afternoon Update | Sign up to Guardian Australia's Afternoon Update |
| Our Australian afternoon update email breaks down the key national and international stories of the day and why they matter | Our Australian afternoon update email breaks down the key national and international stories of the day and why they matter |
| after newsletter promotion | after newsletter promotion |
| The legislation comes after three men were charged with damage offences in January, when the Queensland government was yet to outlaw the display of hate symbols. | |
| Police said one of the banners seized contained a Nazi symbol and the words “Hitler was right”. | Police said one of the banners seized contained a Nazi symbol and the words “Hitler was right”. |
| A spokesperson for Queensland’s attorney general, Shannon Fentiman, said at the time the Palaszczuk government “strongly condemns” the display of Nazi hate symbols and believes “they have no place in our society”. | A spokesperson for Queensland’s attorney general, Shannon Fentiman, said at the time the Palaszczuk government “strongly condemns” the display of Nazi hate symbols and believes “they have no place in our society”. |
| “We have committed to introducing a new criminal offence to make it illegal to display hate symbols, such as those related to Nazi ideology,” the spokesperson said. | “We have committed to introducing a new criminal offence to make it illegal to display hate symbols, such as those related to Nazi ideology,” the spokesperson said. |
| “This is important legislation, and the attorney general looks forward to introducing the bill into parliament early this year.” | “This is important legislation, and the attorney general looks forward to introducing the bill into parliament early this year.” |