The Minns government has rejected key advice from a review it commissioned, which recommends hate speech laws be extended to protect more members of the community.
As a result, inciting hatred against people based on sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, religion and other characteristics will not be made illegal under the Crimes Act.
Inciting hatred based on race will remain a criminal offence.For months, the government refused to release the review by former Supreme Court judge John Sackar KC, which was completed in November last year.
The government clashed with upper house MPs who were seeking to force the document’s release, resulting in the parliamentary suspension of Labor frontbencher John Graham.
“The NSW government has decided not to expand the existing criminal offence of inciting racial hatred to apply to additional protected attributes,” Attorney-General Michael Daley said.
“The government’s view is that expanding the racial hatred offence to cover other attributes raises complex questions about freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and the consistent application of the criminal law across the community.”
[Ed: Some good news. Minns should be less coy about a sensible decision.]