Hate is not acceptable
There is no place in Australia for hatred of any kind.
Every Australian, no matter who they are or what they believe, should be able to enjoy their life in any Australian community, without prejudice or discrimination.
If you experience or witness hate, racism or prejudice, don’t put up with it; speak up.
Hate crimes
A crime motivated by hate towards a person or against a group of people, because of their specific characteristics, may be a hate crime. Examples of specific characteristics include:
- race
- religion
- sex
- sexual orientation
- gender identity
- intersex status
- disability
- nationality
- national or ethnic origin
- political opinion.
What is unlawful can vary depending on which Australian state or territory you live in. For more information and support, contact the Police Assistance Line on 131 444.
Find out more about Commonwealth
hate crime offences that protect all Australians from threats of violence.
Hate incidents
When there is no crime committed, but an action is still motivated by hate, racism or prejudice, it may be a hate incident.
If you are the victim of a hate crime
Contact Police
Authorities in Australia take hate crimes very seriously. Contact police if you are the victim of a hate crime.
- In an emergency or life-threatening situation, call Triple Zero (000) and ask for police.
- If there is no immediate danger, call the Police Assistance Line (131 444).
If you are the victim of a hate incident
Report the incident
When you report an incident, you can help stop the behaviour from continuing or growing. You also become part of a larger movement to remove hate, racism and prejudice from our society. Reporting lets authorities understand patterns of behaviour in local areas, so they can keep you safe. There are many reporting options available to you:
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Police Assistance Line (131 444) - What is unlawful can vary depending on which Australian state or territory you live in. We encourage you to report hate incidents to police.
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Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) - To lodge a complaint with the AHRC, call the AHRC’s National Information Service on 1300 656 419 or 02 9284 9888 or visit
Complaints.
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State and territory anti-discrimination commissions
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What is unlawful can vary depending on where you live. We encourage you to report incidents to your state or territory-based anti-discrimination commission.
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Local Councils - You should check if your local council can resolve or address your complaint - for example, graffiti removal or street cleaning.
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Office of the eSafety Commissioner - If the incident happens online, you may be able to report it to the
Office of the eSafety Commissioner.
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Online services and platforms - If seriously harmful content is sent, posted or shared online, you may be able to report it directly to the service or platform that was used. Find reporting information for common services and platforms in
The eSafety Guide.
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Community-led registers - Many community groups have created their own process for reporting incidents of hate, racism or prejudice. Learn more about
responding to racism.
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National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline - A free, independent and confidential service for reporting the mistreatment of people with disability. Call 1800 880 052 Monday to Friday.
If you are a bystander or witness to hate
If you witness an assault or an act of violence, contact police:
- In an emergency or life-threatening situation, call Triple Zero (000) and ask for police.
- If there is no immediate danger, call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or the Police Assistance Line (131 444).
When people who witness hate, racism or prejudice speak out against it, it makes the person being targeted feel supported. It can make the person being hateful reconsider their behaviour. Don’t put yourself at risk. But if it is safe to do so, speak up and stand with the victim. Even a simple gesture can be powerful.
The AHRC has
tips for bystanders.
You can also submit a written report to Crime Stoppers. Crime Stoppers is an independent non-for-profit that collects information on crimes and shares them accordingly with law enforcement agencies. Learn more about
Crime Stoppers.
Counselling and Mental Health Wellbeing
For free and confidential personal crisis and mental health support services you can contact:
Kids Helpline is a free service for young people aged 5 to 25. Kids, teens and young adults can call 1800 551 800 at any time. Learn more about
Kid’s Helpline.
13YARN is a 24/7 crisis support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping. First Nations people can connect with 13YARN on 13 92 76 at any time and talk with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter.
QLife is a free and anonymous peer-support and referral service for LGBTIQ+ people. Call 1800 184 527 between 3:00 pm and 12:00 am AEST every day. You can also webchat at
QLife - Support and Referrals.
Witness to War is a national multilingual telephone hotline for people affected by overseas conflicts. Call 1800 845 198 between 10:00 am and 7:00 pm AEST Monday to Friday.
If you have concerns about a loved one or person you know promoting or threatening violence
Ask for help and report your concerns
Pathways to radicalisation look different for everyone. Some common signs to look out for include social withdrawal, and gradual or sudden worrying changes in online activity, interests and appearance.
Family, friends and communities have an important role in helping separate individuals from violent extremism. If you have concerns about someone you know, the Step Together website has resources for family and friends. They can also connect you with support and information from qualified case managers. Call 1800 875 204 between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm AEST Monday to Friday, or visit the
Step Together website.
Report online extremist content
If you have seen online content that could encourage radicalisation towards violence, report it to the
Office of the eSafety Commissioner.
