Fines or Jail for Harassing People at Religious Services, Damaging Places of Worship, or Showing Banned Symbols
Justice Miscellaneous (Prohibited Symbols and Protection of Worship) Bill 2026
House of Assembly
Legislative Council
Assent
Topics
criminal penalties hate speech hate symbols places of worship police powers public order public safety religious freedom
Introduced by: The Hon Guy Barnett MP (LIB)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
People can be fined or jailed for intentionally obstructing, intimidating, menacing, or harassing people attending a religious assembly.
Damaging, marking, defacing, or interfering with a place of worship is a crime.
Displaying a prohibited symbol in public without a legitimate purpose is banned; repeat offenders can be fined up to 40 penalty units (2026: $8,520) or face up to 6 months jail.
If police cannot find the person responsible for displaying a prohibited symbol, they can attach a written order to the symbol telling it to be removed.
Police officers can stop and detain people and vehicles, search clothing and possessions, and seize prohibited symbols to make sure people follow orders to remove them.