Tasmania's government has abandoned a proposed law change that would have made it illegal to "incite animosity" towards registered child sexual offenders.
The government wants to amend the Community Protection (Offender Reporting) Act, with the goal of making information about offenders on the register more accessible.
Under the plan, parents and guardians would be allowed to apply to find out if people who are in regular, unsupervised contact with their children are on the register.
The draft bill also proposed to create offences for breaches of confidentiality, vigilantism and "inciting animosity" towards registered offenders to "balance" the disclosure of more information.
It proposed fines of up to $39,000 or jail time of up to two years for people who "intend to create, promote or increase animosity towards, or harassment of, a person who is an identified offender".
Child abuse survivors, the Labor opposition and an independent MP criticised the animosity clause, with some labelling it too vague.
There were also fears it may prevent survivors from sharing their stories.
The state government has announced it will remove the word "animosity" from the draft bill amid ongoing consultation.
"It has been clear that there is community concern about a clause regarding creating or promoting 'animosity’ towards an identified sex offender," government minister Felix Ellis said.
Chief executive officer of sexual assault support service Laurel House, Kathryn Fordyce, said victim-survivors had reached out with concerns.
"For many victim-survivors that process of sharing their story and helping others ... is a really important part of their healing journey," she said.
"The idea that clause may have prevented that, was really troubling for some."
Ms Fordyce said her organisation would scrutinise the draft bill in more detail, but the measures in isolation wouldn't prevent abuse.
"We know only a small proportion of people who offend against children end up on the (register)," she said.
"We know from the royal commission it can take ... on average 23 years before a person discloses their experience of child sexual abuse.
"And to get on the register you need to be convicted."
MP Lara Alexander, one of two independents who plunged the Liberal government into minority when they left the party, described the animosity clause as a "slap in the face" for victim-survivors.
Consultation on the draft bill, which the government says has been based on West Australian laws, opened in December and closes on February 16.
The state government is implementing 191 recommendations from a commission of inquiry into child sexual abuse in public institutions, but the draft bill is not among them.
The final report of the commission, released in September, found governments over decades had too often responded inadequately to allegations and instances of abuse.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
