Following an ABC investigation into a series of violent attacks on gay and bisexual teens in Sydney, which were linked to extremist networks, the NSW government is taking action, which is part of a broader legislative effort to shut down unlawful "factories of hate" that promote violence.
THIS ARTICLE AT A GLANCE
- The NSW government will introduce new laws to create specific LGBTQIA+ hate crimes and increase penalties.
- Offenders who target people because of their sexuality or gender identity could face jail terms of up to seven years.
- The reforms follow an ABC investigation into Islamic State–inspired attacks where gay and bisexual teens in Sydney.
- The government plans to extend “post and boast” laws so that recording and sharing violence attracts additional penalties.
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The NSW state government has stated it will no longer rely on "sternly worded press releases" while queer individuals are being targeted on camera.
Premier Chris Minns announced that his government will introduce new legislation to Parliament. This legislation will create dedicated offences for LGBTQIA+ hate crimes for the first time and will significantly increase penalties for those who attack individuals because of their sexuality or gender.
Under the proposed laws, offenders convicted of luring or assaulting someone due to their sexuality, gender identity or perceived queerness could face sentences of up to seven years in prison. Minns first flagged the reforms after an ABC investigation revealed a pattern of attacks on gay and bisexual teenagers in Sydney, where young men linked to an Islamic State–inspired network used social media and dating apps to lure victims, bash them and share the footage in encrypted chat groups.
“These recent assaults against the LGBTQIA+ community are disgusting and utterly intolerable,” the premier said when outlining the package.
“If you target someone out of hatred or attempt to lure someone into danger, you will face serious repercussions.”
The new offences will sit alongside changes to so‑called “post and boast” laws, which were introduced in 2023 to deter people from uploading footage of violent crimes to social media. The NSW government plans to extend those provisions so that recording and sharing assaults or robberies against LGBTQIA+ people can attract extra penalties, reflecting how attacks on queer victims are increasingly filmed and circulated as content.
Attorney-General Michael Daley said the reforms are designed to apply broadly, with the LGBTQIA+ context making the need urgent.
“While these laws are specifically tailored to the context of LGBTQIA+ hate crimes, they will be applicable in all situations,” he told media, pointing to other recent cases where groups of young people lured victims to public locations and attacked them in large numbers.
The move comes as NSW also pushes ahead with separate legislation to crack down on unlawful “factories of hate” – places of worship or gatherings that breach planning laws and are used to promote violent, extremist rhetoric. Those laws will give councils stronger powers to shut down venues that fuel hatred and intimidation, including the ability to seek court orders to cut off water and power to operators who ignore enforcement notices.
Equality advocates have long called for clearer hate crime protections, arguing that current NSW law treats anti-LGBTQIA+ bias mainly as an “aggravating factor” at sentencing rather than a standalone offence. Equality Australia saying that without stronger laws, perpetrators of abuse and harassment “are effectively granted a social licence” to keep targeting queer communities.
