The authorities of the Australian state of Queensland propose to imprison its residents for up to three years for posting hate speech on Facebook and other social networks. The Criminal Code Amendment (Serious Offenses and Hate Crime) and Other Legislation Bill 2023 proposes to increase the penalties for those who commit crimes motivated by prejudice based on race, religion, sexuality or gender identity.
The Queensland government says its hate crime laws will be among the strongest in Australia. While symbols such as the swastika will be banned from being worn and displayed, Hindus, Buddhists and Jains, for whom swastikas are religious symbols, will be exempt from the law. There will also be an exception when hate symbols are used for educational purposes.
