Australia will consider creating a new crime of inciting violence based on race, religion or nationality as part of a review of the nation's tough counterterrorism laws, the government said.
Attorney General Robert McClelland told a security forum that a package of draft changes to the nation's security and counterterrorism laws will be released for public discussion in the coming weeks.
"A range of reforms will be put forward for consultation including seeking public input in relation to an offence of inciting violence against an individual on the basis or race, religion or nationality," according to a transcript of McClelland's speech released by his office on Wednesday.
The new law would expand existing legislation that outlaws inciting violence against groups and would increase opportunities for prosecutions.
The review is the first overhaul of Australia's counterterrorism regime since Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's centre-left government was elected in late 2007.
It was planned before seven people, including three Australians, were killed last week in terrorist suicide bombings in two Jakarta hotels.
Lawyers and civil liberty groups have condemned as draconian many of the tough new measures introduced by Australia's previous centre-right government following the al-Qaeda attacks on Washington and New York on September 11, 2001.
The measures include powers to detain people without charge and to force suspects to wear electronic manacles that enable police to monitor their movements.
Lawyer Jim Kennan, a former state attorney general, said Australia's counterterrorism laws were already too sweeping.
"I don't think there are examples that have been demonstrated here or overseas where the terrorist laws aren't strong enough," Kennan told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.
"Rather the concern is that in some cases ... they have led to injustices," he added.
Robert Stary, a defence lawyer with experience in counterterrorism law, said some laws should be repelled, including those that allow authorities to detain suspects to prevent a terrorist attack.
He said the laws made Australia a hypocrite, which criticized China for holding Australian mining executive Stern Hu without charge on suspicion of espionage.
AP