Tasmania is set to be a national leader in responding to hate crime, with the passing of landmark legislation in the Tasmanian parliament last week. The Sentencing Amendment (Aggravating Factors) Act 2025 offers all Tasmanians protections against targeted violence.
Co-convenor of the Tasmanian Prejudice Related Violence Working Group (the Working Group), Professor Nicole Asquith said that the new approach would provide greater protections to marginalised communities.
“These reforms to the Sentencing Act 1997 will enhance the legal measures available to police, prosecutors and the judiciary to address the serious harms that come with crimes that target marginalised and vulnerable communities”. Professor Asquith said.
The Bill will expand the scope of that existing provision in s11B of the Sentencing Act 1997 beyond racist hate crime. The new sentencing provisions for aggravating circumstances will recognise for the first time in Tasmania a range of protected attributes, including race, age, religious belief or affiliation, language, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, sex, and disability, as well as providing capacity to recognise “any other prescribed attribute”, such as homelessness.
This amendment to the attributes protected under the Act is one of the broadest adopted in Australia.
Working Group member, and Multicultural Advocate, Aimen Jafri notes that this law reform is “a promising step toward making our island stronger and safer, and honours all Tasmanians who have been subjected to hate crimes and felt unheard. I am grateful to our political leaders for recognising the importance and urgency of this legislation, and to the tireless advocates whose dedication made this possible. We are always better when we stand together”.
Rodney Croome from Equality Tasmania said that “it is heartening that this important reform had unanimous support in Parliament. That sends a strong message that hate-motivated crimes against LGBTIQA+ people and other Tasmanians are unacceptable and have no place in Tasmanian society”.
Brigid Wilkinson, CEO of COTA Tasmania, said that she “welcomes this important reform, which sends a clear message that targeting people based on their age will not be tolerated. With the oldest demographic in Australia, this reform will help shape a more age friendly state we can all benefit from”.
The Tasmanian Prejudice Related Violence Working Group has commended the Tasmanian Government for leading this significant law reform, and congratulated all Members of Parliament, who worked together to pass this legislation unanimously.
In passing this landmark legislation, many in the Legislative Council noted that while the law reform will not prevent hate crimes, it will make perpetrators accountable for their actions in targeting marginalised and vulnerable people, and sends a clear message about the values critical to Tasmania’s future.
