About this crime type
About this crime
There is no place in Australia for hate crimes or violent extremism of any kind.
Every Australian, regardless of their identity should be able to enjoy their life in any Australian community, without prejudice or discrimination.
In Australia, hate crime legislation exists at both the federal and state/territory levels.
Commonwealth offences
Commonwealth offences can apply where certain conduct targets a person or group based on the following characteristics:
- race
- religion
- sex
- sexual orientation
- gender identity
- intersex status
- disability
- nationality
- national or ethnic origin
- political opinion.
Known as a targeted group
Advocating or threatening the use of force and violence against a targeted group or a member of a targeted group is unacceptable and will be subject to serious criminal penalties.
Under Division 80 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code it is a crime to intentionally or recklessly:
- advocate or threaten violence against targeted groups, their members, or close associates
- advocate or threaten damage to places of worship, or the property of targeted group members or their close associates.
What the AFP investigates
- advocating the use of force or violence against targeted groups
- advocating the use of force or violence against members of targeted groups or close associates
- threatening the use of force or violence against targeted groups
- threatening force or violence against members of groups or close associates
- advocating damage to or destruction of property where the property is owned by targeted groups or a group member
- advocating terrorism
- advocating genocide
- unlawful display of or trading in Prohibited Symbols
- giving Nazi salute
- using a carriage service to make a threat
- using a carriage service to menace or harass
- using a carriage service to make available personal data of one or more individuals or more members of certain targeted groups (doxxing)
- sharing of abhorrent violent material
- accessing or transmitting violent extremist material.
The AFP is working closely with state and territory police services to ensure a comprehensive, national representation of active threats and violence towards individuals and groups to ensure hate crimes are responded to appropriately. We work closely with partner agencies to investigate these crimes and hold persons accountable for their actions.
State and territory offences
State and territory police services are responsible for the response to state and territory crimes in your jurisdiction. This includes potential breaches of state or territory law or actions requiring local police attendance such as:
- physical violence, assaults or threats of assault
- property damage, vandalism or theft
- stalking or harassment
- public order operations or protests
- local emergency situations.
Hate crime online
Online hate crimes involve persistent harassment, incitement to violence, or doxxing directed at a person or targeted group based on their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. In digital spaces, these malicious behaviours take several specific, identifiable forms:
- Harassment and trolling: Coordinated attacks sending relentless abusive messages to a user based on their identity. In gaming, this often manifests as targeted verbal abuse over voice chat or text.
- Doxxing and swatting: Maliciously releasing a victim's private information online (doxxing), or calling emergency services with a fake threat to the victim’s address (swatting) to prompt a heavily armed police response
- Hate speech and symbols: Using slurs, offensive memes, hateful usernames, or "algospeak" (coded language and numbers to bypass platform filters) to promote white supremacist or extremist ideologies.
- Impersonation and defamation: Creating fake accounts in the victim's name to post hateful content, humiliating them or damaging their reputation
Report online hate crimes to the eSafety Commissioner if the online abuse involves serious harassment or threats, or to ReportCyber for general cybercrimes and hacking incidents.
If you are in immediate danger, always call Triple Zero (000) for emergency services.
Find out more about Commonwealth hate crime offences
Reporting hate crime
If you have witnessed or suspect hate crime activity, call the 24-hour National Security Hotline 1800 123 400.
For non-urgent hate crime-related matters, send us information by filling out our
In an emergency, call 000 for police, fire brigade or ambulance.
What happens when you make a report
Possible outcomes of making a report to the AFP include:
- the AFP may investigate
- another police service or government agency may deal with the matter
- there may be no further action due to a range of reasons, for example, there may be insufficient evidence or it may not reach legislative thresholds
The AFP adheres to the Australian Government’s definition of Antisemitism, which is the working definition adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA):
Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, towards Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.
The AFP’s National Security Investigations teams, investigates threats of violence and hatred towards the Australian Jewish community under Special Operation Avalite.
We work closely with partner agencies across the country to investigate Commonwealth offences that include but are not limited to:
- urging violence against members of targeted groups
- advocating terrorism
- advocating genocide
- unlawful display of or trading in prohibited symbols, or giving a Nazi salute
- using a carriage service to make a threat, cause harm or harass
- using a carriage service to make available personal data of one or more individuals.
Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia defines Islamophobia as a term which refers to anti-Muslim racism which may manifest as hostility, prejudice or discrimination against Muslim people or Islam as a religious, ethnic or racial group.
The AFP’s National Security Investigations teams, investigate threats of violence and hatred towards Muslims or Islamic communities.
Working closely with partner agencies, we work across the country to investigate Commonwealth offences that include but are not limited to:
- urging violence against members of targeted groups
- advocating terrorism
- advocating genocide
- unlawful display of prohibited symbols
- using a carriage service to make a threat, cause harm or harass
- using a carriage service to make available personal data of one or more individuals.
Subjecting First Nations people and their communities to racism, violence and hate can be a crime.
The AFP’s National Security Investigations teams investigate threats of violence and hatred towards First Nations People.
Working closely with partner agencies, we work across the country to investigate Commonwealth offences that include but are not limited to:
- urging violence against members of targeted groups
- advocating terrorism
- advocating genocide
- unlawful display of prohibited symbols
- using a carriage service to make a threat, cause harm or harass
- using a carriage service to make available personal data of one or more individuals.
Note: In response to escalating reports of racism and violence against First Nations People, the Australian Parliament has established a Joint Standing Committee examining racism and hate directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Further information regarding this inquiry and how to participate can be found via the Parliament of Australia website.
