The reforms will clarify the types of ‘cyberstalking’ behaviour covered by the offence, including to cover impersonation of others online in a way that’s designed to cause apprehension or fear.

In addition, there are now comprehensive provisions to cover stalking and harassment via the internet, social media, other forms of electronic communication or in person and to cover the use of tracking devices to monitor someone’s location.

The proposed reforms would also reduce the threshold for criminal offending.

They will remove a provision that required the prosecution to prove that a stalker intended to cause ‘serious’ physical or mental harm by removing the ‘serious’ element. Instead, the offence would cover any intent to cause physical or mental harm.

Further, the proposed reforms will ensure the offence will apply even if the stalker did not specifically intend to cause harm or fear, if they should reasonably have known that the conduct would be likely to cause harm or fear.