Queensland could become the first state in Australia to outlaw the phrase “from the river to the sea”, under sweeping new hate speech reforms announced by the state government.
The premier, David Crisafulli, announced the proposed laws on Sunday, ahead of their introduction to parliament on Tuesday, describing them as a direct response to the Bondi terror attack, in which 15 people were killed during a Hanukah celebration.
The legislation includes a new offence prohibiting the public distribution, publication, display or recitation of proscribed phrases, where the conduct is intended to cause menace, harassment or offence.
The attorney general, Deb Frecklington, confirmed “globalise the intifada” and “from the river to the sea” would be included as proscribed phrases.
“These sayings have no place in Queensland, when they are used to incite hatred, offence and menace,” she said.
In New South Wales, a parliamentary inquiry last month recommended banning the phrase “globalise the intifada” when it is used to incite hatred, harassment, intimidation or violence.
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The phrase, from the Arabic word for uprising or “shaking off”, is used by pro-Palestine supporters in reference to uprisings against Israel that began in 1987 and 2000. But many in the Jewish community have said it is a call to violence against them.
The NSW inquiry didn’t recommend banning “from the river to the sea” – a phrase referring to the land between the Jordan River, which borders eastern Israel, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west.
Critics of the slogan argue that it calls for the elimination of Israel, while some of its supporters – including Palestinian-American writer Yousef Munayyer – argue it supports Palestinians living in “their homeland as free and equal citizens”.
Frecklington said the phrase was “offensive” and designed to incite hatred.
“I don’t even like to say it out loud,” she said.
Anyone found distributing, publishing, displaying or reciting a prohibited phrase would face a maximum penalty of two years in prison under the laws.
The government will also introduce a new offence for impeding or harassing people attending religious services, carrying a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment.
Penalties for assaulting or threatening a person officiating a religious ceremony will increase from two to five years, while wilful damage to a place of worship will carry the toughest maximum sentence of seven years.
An existing ban on the display of certain symbols, such as swastikas, will be extended to include Nazi emblems, the Hamas and Islamic State flags, and the Hezbollah emblem. The maximum penalty for displaying prohibited symbols will increase from six months to two years’ imprisonment.
Frecklington said the government consulted with the Crime and Corruption Commission, the Human Rights Commission and Queensland police when drafting the legislation.
Crisafulli said it was a “considered”, “calm” and “detailed” response to the Bondi attack.
“We didn’t take a kneejerk reaction,” he said. “As a result, the legislation that will be tabled in parliament on Tuesday will be the best of its kind in the country.”
Crisafuli – who has said his state would not participate in a national gun buyback – said the government would announce how it would be “taking action on guns against terrorists and criminals” on Monday afternoon.
The reforms were welcomed by the president of the Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies, Jason Steinberg, who said it would make the Jewish community feel safer and help them rebuild the confidence to live their lives openly.
“For the past two and a half years, the Jewish community has endured unprecedented levels of hate, intimidation and fear, and the reforms send a clear message that antisemitism and hate have no place in Queensland,” Steinberg said.
“This bill goes beyond words and delivers real, practical protections for our community and for all people targeted by hate.”
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