BULLY BUSTERS

EXCLUSIVE State acts to make cyber bullying criminal offence

TASMANIA will within months have tough new laws to make cyber bullying a criminal offence — with both major parties pledging to act immediately after the March election.

Premier Will Hodgman has revealed to the Mercury he plans legislation to target those using the internet with the intention to cause serious, physical or mental harm to others. Mr Hodgman said perpetrators of this “shameful behaviour” should be held to account.

Labor said it already had similar legislation ready to go when Parliament is recalled.

TASMANIA will have tough new laws making cyber-bullying a criminal offence within months.

Both major parties yesterday pledged that they would pass legislation against online bullies if they formed government at the March election.

Premier Will Hodgman said he would act swiftly if re-elected to allow cyber-bullies to be prosecuted under Tasmania’s criminal code.

He said the laws would target those who used the internet with the intention to cause serious, physical or mental harm to others.

“Bullying is the action of a coward but it can have devastating impacts on its victims,” Mr Hodgman said. “Rapidly changing technologies now give online bullies access to their victims 24 hours a day, and it can follow you anywhere.

“We will draw on best practice to ensure that Tasmanians are provided with the best possible protection and that the perpetrators of this sort of shameful behaviour are held to account.”

Opposition spokeswoman for the digital economy Madeleine Ogilvie said Labor’s Civil Digital Communication Bill was ready to go when Parliament returned no matter the outcome of the election.

“It’s an important part of Labor’s strategy to address cyber-bullying,” Ms Ogilvie said. “Labor has been leading this debate by putting forward practical suggestions to protect Tasmanians from harm online.”

The pledges for change come as the funeral of Northern Territory teenager Amy “Dolly” Everett, who took her life in the face on intense cyberbullying, was held yesterday.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also seized on Dolly’s death to call for more action from governments, health groups and internet companies to prevent cyber-bullying, stop it when it occurs and minimise its impact when it did.

The Office of the Children’s Safety Commissioner revealed cyber-bullying cases in Australia had soared more than 60 per cent in 2017 compared with the year before.

Tasmania currently has no specific cyber-bullying laws in place. The Tasmanian Law Reform Institute has already recommended the offence of stalking be broadened to cover the worst types of bullying, such as persistent online harassment, social exclusion and name-calling.

Mr Hodgman said the Government had taken steps in the space with the anti-cyberbullying program eSmart Schools Cyber Safety available in all government schools, in partnership with the Alannah and Madeline Foundation.

“With many children now owning their own devices, they can be targeted without others, including their parents, even knowing about it,” he said.

The Government said it would be guided by the findings of a Senate inquiry to be released on March 28.