The Victorian parliament will be presented with a new offense that makes egregiously offensive public behavior illegal.
The proposed law was created in response to the April 2020 Melbourne Eastern Freeway crash that killed four police officers.
By filming the officers who were dying after the collision, Porsche driver Richard Pusey admitted to violating public decency.
The offense of engaging in conduct that is gravely offensive to community standards of behavior will replace the charge of outraging public decency.
According to a statement from the Victorian Government, the outgoing law offense in this fatal case is antiquated, vague in its scope, and lacks a clearly defined maximum penalty.
The new charge carries a five-year prison sentence as its maximum punishment.
The accused—or any reasonable person—must be aware that their conduct is egregiously offensive for the offense to apply to conduct occurring in a setting where it can be seen or heard in public.
Intoxication and the use of vulgar or indecent language are not considered part of the offense.
In a statement on Wednesday, Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes said, “As times change, our laws must change with them to keep up with what Victorians expect of their justice system.”
‘While the use of this new offence will likely be small, it’s important that it’s clear and modernised.’
The amended bill, to be introduced to the Victorian parliament on Wednesday, will also defer to November 2023 the decriminalisation of public drunkenness.
This will allow the government more time to test and assess the health-based response, according to Ms. Symes.