Stronger protections for Victorians
New anti-hate protections take effect in Victoria, expanding scope to act on vilification and hate speech.
Two new civil anti-hate protections in the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 came into effect across Victoria on April 15, which may make it easier to take action against those who spread vilification and hate speech.
The reforms recognise that vilification can be: behaviour likely to incite hatred in others because of a person or group’s protected attribute; as well as hate speech or hateful behaviour that a reasonable person from the target group is likely to consider to be hateful. The basis for the hateful behaviour must be because of a person’s protected attributes, and the behaviour must be public including online, in person, verbal or written. There are exceptions to the civil protections including freedom of expression and religion.
Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) president Philip Zajac welcomed the reforms.
“The JCCV worked closely with Victorian legislators and the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission in the development and roll out of these new laws.
“These new laws should make it easier to take action against those who spread vilification and hate speech in Victoria,” he told The AJN.
“For our community, this matters. Everyone deserves to feel safe, respected and able to live openly without fear of hatred or abuse. Importantly, these new laws extend to online conduct.
“If you experience antisemitism, we urge you to report it to CSG via the JEAP app. But you can also make a formal complaint through the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission. This complaint will be assessed and a remedy may be sought.”
It follows the passing of the Justice Legislation Amendment (Anti-vilification and Social Cohesion) Act 2025 in April last year.
The legislation expands protections beyond race and religion to also protect the attributes (characteristics of a person or group) of disability, gender identity, sex, sex characteristics, sexual orientation and personal association with a person with a protected attribute.
In April last year, two serious vilification criminal offences with higher maximum penalties were introduced in the Crimes Act 1958: an incitement offence and a threat offence.