Arabic version: نيو ساوث ويلز تقدم قوانين أكثر صرامة ضد جرائم الكراهية ضد مجتمع LGBTQIA+

The New South Wales government is set to introduce new laws aimed at combating hate crimes against the LGBTQIA+ community. Premier Chris Minns announced that the proposed reforms would increase penalties for those convicted of such offenses, with legislation expected to be presented to parliament on Tuesday.

According to ABC News, offenders found guilty of hate crimes could face up to seven years in prison under the new legislation. The changes come in response to a series of violent Islamic State (IS)-inspired attacks targeting LGBTQIA+ individuals in Sydney.

The proposed laws would not only increase penalties for public threats or incitement of violence based on sexuality or gender identity but also introduce a new offense for luring victims under false pretenses. This aims to address the disturbing trend of young individuals being targeted through dating apps, often leading to violent assaults.

Minns described the recent attacks as “sickening and completely unacceptable,” emphasizing that the legislation aims to send a strong message against such hatred. The reforms also seek to expand existing laws related to the sharing of violent crime content on social media, which have been a concern in recent incidents involving LGBTQIA+ victims.

Currently, there are no specific criminal offenses for anti-LGBTQIA+ hate crimes in New South Wales, although courts can impose harsher penalties as an aggravating factor. The introduction of these laws marks a significant step towards enhancing protections for the LGBTQIA+ community in the state.