Equality Tasmania has welcomed the State Government’s decision to act allow harsher penalties for crimes against LGBTIQA+ people when they are motivated by prejudice, discrimination and hatred, but has called for more to be done to prevent such crime.

 

Today, Attorney-General, Guy Barnett, announced he will draft legislation implementing the Sentencing Advisory Council’s recommendation to allow judges to impose harsher penalties for crimes motivated by prejudice, discrimination and hate on a range of grounds including disability, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics.

 

Harsher penalties can already be imposed for crimes motivated by racial hatred.

 

Equality Tasmania spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said,

 

“We welcome Mr Barnett’s commitment because it shows the Government is taking hate crime against LGBTIQA+ people seriously.”

 

“Hate-motivated attacks against LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians are a serious and under-reported problem.”

 

“The proposed law reform should be complemented by further measures including Tasmania Police recognising, recording and gathering evidence when a crime is motivated by prejudice, discrimination or hate.”

 

“There should also be community education campaigns about the deep trauma caused by hate crime against members of minority communities.”

 

In 1997 the Sentencing Act was reformed to allow harsher penalties for crimes motivated by racial hatred.

 

In May this year the Sentencing Advisory Council recommended this be extended to cover other attributes including sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics.

 

Sentencing Advisory Council report here:

 

For a copy of this statement on the web, click here