Christian leaders in Australia have urged caution over any proposed new laws aimed at tackling coercive control within cults, warning that such legislation could have unintended consequences for mainstream churches.
A parliamentary inquiry in Victoria is currently considering whether coercive tactics used by high-control groups should be criminalised.
However, the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) and Freedom for Faith argued this week that existing laws are sufficient to address these concerns, and that introducing new legislation could disproportionately affect established churches because they are “faith-based”.
There is currently no legal definition of a cult in Australia.
Jasmine Yuen, the ACL’s Victorian director, told the inquiry that any new laws targeting “coercive behaviour in faith-based institutions” would be “dangerous” and risk causing “confusion”.
Yuen suggested that education and prevention measures would be more effective in addressing the dangers associated with cult practices.
Queensland is the second Australian state after New South Wales to criminalise coercive control. The move followed the murder of Hannah Clarke and her three children in 2020—a case of domestic and family violence rooted in coercive control.
There are nine major Australian jurisdictions, including Victoria
The inquiry will continue to hold hearings and report to parliament before 30 September 2026.