Terrorism (Community Protection) Act 2003

For the purposes of this Part, radicalising towards violent extremism means the process of coming to support the commission of an act that falls within section 4(2), and does not fall within section 4(3), as a means of—

advancing a political, religious or ideological cause; or

coercing, or influencing by intimidation, the government of the Commonwealth or a State, Territory or foreign country, or of part of a State, Territory or foreign country; or

intimidating the public or a section of the public.

A person may be radicalising towards violent extremism for the purposes of this Part even though they have not—

identified or considered a particular act—

that is of the kind described in subsection (1); and

that they are in the process of coming to support as a means of doing a thing described in subsection (1)(a), (b) or (c); or

done an act in preparation for, or in the planning of, a terrorist act; or

possessed or had under their control (whether solely or jointly with any other person) a thing that is connected with the preparation for, or the engagement of a person in, a terrorist act; or

committed an offence.

A behaviour engaged in with any of the following intentions may, in certain circumstances, indicate that the person engaging in that behaviour is radicalising towards violent extremism—

the intention of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause; or

the intention of coercing, or influencing by intimidation, the government of the Commonwealth or a State, Territory or foreign country, or of part of a State, Territory or foreign country; or

the intention of intimidating the public or a section of the public.

Without limiting subsection (3), any of the following behaviours engaged in with an intention set out in that subsection may, in certain circumstances, indicate that the person engaging in that behaviour is radicalising towards violent extremism—

making, collecting, disseminating, endorsing or participating in the production of extremist material;

making, disseminating or endorsing—

statements expressing hatred, serious contempt, revulsion or severe ridicule of the public or a section of the public; or

statements supportive of the commission of an act that would create a serious risk to the health or safety of the public or a section of the public and does not fall within section 4(3); or

statements of racial or religious vilification—

associating with individuals already radicalised towards violent extremism.

For the purposes of subsections (3) and (4), it does not matter whether the behaviour was engaged in by way of an electronic communication within the meaning of the Electronic Transactions (Victoria) Act 2000.