MELBOURNE, 7 April 2025: Victoria’s Premier Jacinta Allan, has said the anti-vilification and social cohesion bill recently passed by the state parliament, while valuing freedom of speech, strengthens safety against hate speech and bats for social cohesion. She was addressing a select group of multicultural media persons at Victoria’s Treasury Place during a special interaction. She also talked about crime in Victoria and how youth crime can be plugged and the new tightened bail laws for repeat offenders.
She came down heavily on the coalition for never wanting to support the anti-vilification bill. All crimes against any place of worship whether it is as a consequence of islamophobia, anti-semitism, or actions against Hindu temples, is all the same and unacceptable behaviour, and Victoria Police needs to tackle them, the Premier said.
Multicultural Minister Ingrid Stitt said, the new laws against hate are crisis action and our government and is connecting with affected communities. Having a long history of celebrating our linguistic and community diversity, she announced, the state will support the multicultural media so that vital information goes to the community.
Answering to a question by SAT Editor Neeraj Nanda, she said, “We respect and value the responsibility that comes in society that comes with the freedom of speech in our strong and vibrant democracy. I also believe, young men in a turban, a young Jewish boy going to school, and a woman wearing a hijab in a shopping centre, all deserve the freedom of safety in ou community. And that’s what this bill is all about.”
“This bill is about strengthening safety, because hateful speech that turns to violence, that’s not freedom of speech, that’s hate, that’s a crime. And that is why the anti-vilification bill is important because it means that behaviour is a crime,” she said.
Answering to another question by Siddharth Matriak, SAT, on the reasons behind crime in the state, the Premier said changes in society, global changes, rise in cost of living, post Covid scenario, social media influence and existing laws were important factors.
Overall crime numbers, she hoped, will come down after the new laws, answering to another question.
She also disclosed about her visit to the Sunshine Station with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, saying this station is important because of the Metro Rail Project to the airport, which the Coalition wants to scrap.
