Queensland To Introduce Stricter Anti-Hate Crime And Anti-Discrimination Laws
Image: Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (right) with Attorney General Shannon Fentiman. Image: Facebook
The Queensland government has signalled important LGBTQI law reforms, including strengthening hate crime legislation and banning religious organisations in the state from discriminating against gay, trans and unmarried staff.
Shannon Fentiman, Attorney-General & Minister for Justice, said on Monday that the government will prepare legislation “that better protects our marginalised communities and individuals.”
“We’ll introduce new legislation to protect Queenslanders from discrimination,” the Attorney-General said in a post on social media.
“Our anti-discrimination laws will be modernised and strengthened to include a legal obligation to prevent discrimination and sexual harassment. Victims of domestic and family violence will also be better protected from discrimination when applying for a rental property and in the workplace.”
Ban On Sacking Teachers For Being LGBTQI
The Annastacia Palaszczuk government said it had “provided in-principle support to all 122 recommendations presented in the Queensland Human Rights Commission’s (QHRC) Building Belonging Report”.
Among the recommendations that the QHRC made was the removal of clauses that allowed religious schools to remove or sack teachers and staff or expel students for being LGBTQI.
Last year, Brisbane-based Citipointe School issued anti-LGBTQI student enrolment and staff employment contracts, that were withdrawn after a public outcry.
“The actions of Citipointe Christian College at the start of this year highlighted the importance of having specific protections for LGBTIQ+ students and staff at religious schools,” Fentiman said in September 2022 at the release of the report, adding, “This report recommends reforms that will mean LGBTIQ+ students and staff feel safe in religious schools, while still protecting religious freedoms.”
Strongest Hate Crime Laws In Australia
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Last week, the Palaszczuk government introduced The Criminal Code (Serious Vilification and Hate Crimes) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 in Parliament.
The new legislation bans the public display of Nazi swastikas and other hate symbols. It also introduces tougher penalties for “crimes motivated by hatred based on race, religion, sexuality, sex characteristics or gender identity,” according to the Attorney General.
Premier Palaszczuk said in a statement that the new legislation will mean that “Queensland will have some of the strongest hate crime laws in the country.”
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Fentiman said that the new anti-hate crime law “will also protect members of our LGBTIQ+ community from hate crimes and vilification, by including sexuality and gender identity as protected attributes.”
“In the wake of recent anti-trans rallies across the country, it’s more important than ever that we stand up and be allies to trans and gender diverse Queenslanders,” the Attorney General posted on social media.
“I’ve been working with trans and gender diverse advocates to reform our Births Deaths and Marriages Act. These reforms are about ensuring a persons legal identity matches their lived identity,” added Fentiman.
Well done QLD Labor Government.
You are continuing to make the lives of LGBTI people safer.
Keep up your great work in ensuring all QLDers have full equality and protection under the law.