No one should have to face hate speech and vilification. Ask the Premier to expand Victoria’s anti vilification laws.

Right now, Victoria’s anti vilification laws – which enshrine hate speech as unlawful – protect people on the basis of race and religion, but don’t protect people based on gender, sexuality, HIV/AIDS status, intersex status and disability.

The Greens have been calling on the government to expand these laws to protect everyone.

In 2021 after an inquiry, the government gave in-principle support to expand anti-vilification laws but they have since failed to act.

It’s clear there is a growing far-right hate movement in Victoria. We know our movement of equality and love is more powerful than their ill-founded hate will ever be.

Let’s build a huge open letter to show the government how many Victorians want to see all communities protected from hate speech and violence.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Open Letter to the Premier of Victoria
CC: Minister for Equality The Hon. Harriet Shing

Dear Premier,

No one should have to face hate speech and vilification.

But right now, Victoria’s anti-vilification laws do not protect people against vilification based on their gender, sexuality, intersex status, disability and whether they have HIV.

That means that someone can stand on the steps of parliament, as we have seen this year, and incite hatred towards trans and gender diverse people without consequences.

Victoria’s queer and disability communities are strong in the face of discrimination, but as long as gaps exist in the law, these communities will continue to face hate speech and vilification.

The movement of far right hate in Victoria is clearly growing. They are protesting local library events for children and crashing peaceful protests adorned in Neo Nazi symbols. We know these acts are an indication that something much larger is growing under the surface.

We know our movement of equality and love is more powerful than their ill-founded hate will ever be.

Your government should be doing everything you can right now to stamp out this hate and ensure every Victorian is safe and their rights are protected in the face of this hate.

In 2021 after an inquiry, your government gave in-principle support to expand anti-vilification protections beyond race and religion. A year and a half later, and no action has been taken.

Please urgently expand Victoria’s anti-vilification laws to protect people based on gender, sexuality, HIV/AIDS status, intersex status and disability.

Your sincerely,

Samantha Ratnam, Leader of the Victorian Greens
Gabrielle de Vietri MP, Greens spokesperson for LGBTIQA+
Dr Tim Read MP
Ellen Sandell MP
Sam Hibbins MP
Aiv Puglielli MP
Katherine Copsey MP
Sarah Mansfield MP