The Tasmanian Government is cracking down on crimes motivated by race, discrimination and hate so every Tasmanian can feel safe, included and be the best they can be in our thriving multicultural society.
Amendments will be made to Section 11B of the Sentencing Act 1997 – which currently considers racially motivated attacks as an aggravating factor in sentencing – to include other attributes such as discrimination or hatred.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Guy Barnett, said the amendments follow recommendations made to the Government by the Sentencing Advisory Council earlier this year.
“Today’s announcement is another measure we’re taking to ensure that Tasmanians are safe,” the Attorney-General said.
“The Tasmanian Government is putting offenders on notice. This behaviour is anti-Tasmanian and it won’t be tolerated.
“We are sending a message to those people in our communities who are committing crimes that are motivated by prejudice, such as race or hate. We will throw the book at you.
“We are cracking down on knife crime, on hooning, on anti-social behaviour and more because we have heard time and again from our community who are sick of this behaviour.
“People have a right to feel safe in their community – no matter from where they come from, how they look, or what they do for work.
“Our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future cracks down on crime through stronger laws and tougher penalties so that our State is the best it possibly can be.
“I would like to thank and acknowledge the work of the Multicultural Council of Tasmania, the Sentencing Advisory Council and the Tasmanian Prejudice Related Violence Working Group.”
The proposed legislation will also seek to:
A draft Bill will now be developed which will be released for public and stakeholder consultation in early 2025, before it is introduced to Parliament.
