Editing Profanity (section)

===Australia===
In every Australian state and territory it is a crime to use offensive, indecent or insulting language in or near a public place.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Methven |first1=Elyse |title=A Little Respect: Swearing, Police and Criminal Justice Discourse |journal=International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy |date=2018 |volume=7 |issue=3 |pages=58–74 |doi=10.5204/ijcjsd.v7i1.428 |url=http://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/UTSLRS/2018/13.html |access-date=2 February 2021|doi-access=free |hdl=10453/127530 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> These offences are classed as [[summary offences]]. This means that they are usually tried before a local or magistrates court. Police also have the power to issue fixed penalty notices to alleged offenders.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Methven |first1=Elyse |title=Commodifying Justice: Discursive Strategies Used in the Legitimation of Infringement Notices for Minor Offences |journal=International Journal for the Semiotics of Law - Revue internationale de Sémiotique juridique |date=2020 |volume=33 |issue=2 |pages=353–379 |doi=10.1007/s11196-020-09710-z |s2cid=219441851 |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11196-020-09710-z |access-date=2 February 2021|url-access=subscription }}</ref> It is a defence in some Australian jurisdictions to have "a reasonable excuse" to conduct oneself in the manner alleged.<ref>{{cite web |title=Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW) s 4A |url=http://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/soa1988189/s4a.html |website=AustLII |access-date=2 February 2021}}</ref>