NSW is sending a firm message: hate crimes against LGBTQIA+ people will not be tolerated. With tougher sentences and new tools for police, the laws aim to make queer lives safer amid rising violence.
THIS ARTICLE AT A GLANCE
- The Crimes Legislation Amendment (Hate Crimes) Bill 2026 passed the NSW Legislative Assembly in May 2026.
- It increases maximum penalties for threatening or inciting violence based on sexual orientation or gender identity to five years.
- An aggravated offence carrying seven years is created when violence results from such threats.
- New laws target offenders who lure victims via dating apps or false pretences.
- “Post and boast” offences now cover assaults and robberies against LGBTQIA+ people.
- The bill now moves to the Legislative Council.
NSW lawmakers have passed the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Hate Crimes) Bill 2026 in the Legislative Assembly, toughening penalties for violence targeting the LGBTQIA+ community. The bill creates new offences and expands “post and boast” laws to cover assaults and robberies against queer people.
The maximum penalty for publicly threatening or inciting violence based on sexual orientation or gender identity rises from three to five years in prison. An aggravated version carries up to seven years if violence follows those threats. Courts can now more easily prove prejudice-motivated crimes if offenders express hatred during the offence.
The laws also criminalise luring victims under false pretences, including via dating apps, after reports of attacks on gay and bisexual teens. NSW has recorded 197 LGBTQIA+ hate-related violence incidents since 2023.
