What does the Government think about the case of two Australian pastors who have been found guilty of vilifying Islam?
There are a number of differences between section 8 of the Victorian Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001, under which the defendants have been found guilty, and the incitement to religious hatred offence we propose. Section 8 of the Victorian Racial and Religious Tolerance Act makes it an offence for a person to engage in conduct which incites not only hatred against, but also serious contempt for, or revulsion or severe ridicule of, another person or class of persons on the ground of the religious belief or activity. The threshold for the incitement to religious hatred offence we propose is substantially higher and will only capture those who knowingly use words or behaviour or to publish or distribute material that is threatening, abusive or insulting with the intention or likelihood that religious hatred would be stirred up. Another difference is that, under our existing and proposed offences, prosecutions require the consent of the Attorney General, which prevents the legislati
