The Tasmanian Government will introduce new laws to criminalise the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, a practice often called “revenge porn”. The announcement on Saturday confirms Tasmania will move to address growing concerns around image-based abuse.
In an official statement, the government said the new legislation will specifically target the sharing of sexually explicit images and AI-generated “deepfakes” without the consent of the person depicted. The reforms will also make it an offence to use technology for covert tracking and digital surveillance to control or intimidate people.
Minister for Women and the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, Jo Palmer, said the government is committed to acting on these “abhorrent crimes”. “Image-based abuse is a disgraceful breach of trust, privacy, and dignity,” Minister Palmer stated, highlighting the “long-term, devastating impacts” on victims.
The government’s move follows a public consultation process for a discussion paper on family violence, which received 69 submissions. According to the government’s statement, feedback highlighted the need to address emerging forms of technology-facilitated abuse.
As reported by ABC News, the changes will bring Tasmania’s laws in line with other Australian jurisdictions that have already criminalised this behaviour. Campaigners have been pushing for stronger protections, arguing that existing laws in the state are outdated and inadequate for charging perpetrators of image-based abuse.
The government confirmed that threatening to share an intimate image will also be criminalised under the new laws. “You don’t get to take and be involved in the development of an intimate image with someone that you could be in a relationship with, and then use that to try and have power over a person,” Minister Palmer said, as reported by other outlets.
The government will consult with key stakeholders on the reforms in the coming weeks. A draft Bill is expected to be released for public consultation by the end of the year.
The original ABC News story can be found at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-05/tasmanian-government-laws-image-abuse-revenge-porn-deepfake/106881574