Mark Dreyfus, the Attorney-General of Australia’s Government, said that plans to pass legislation banning swastikas as well as other Nazi symbols in all states due to a rise in far-right activities.
Dreyfus stated that while most Australian states have already banned Nazi symbols in their laws, the federal law will go further and ban the trade of such materials.
“There has been an increase in violent far-right activity.” Dreyfus said on Nine Network that he believes it is time to pass a federal legislation, which he will present to Parliament next week.
Import and export are our responsibility. Dreyfus stated that he wanted to stop the trade of Nazi memorabilia and any other items with Nazi symbols. “There is no place for hatred and violence in Australia.”
It’s not clear when the ban will be implemented or passed. The Labor Party controls the House of Representatives, but not the Senate. A penalty of up to one year in jail would be imposed on anyone who displays Nazi symbols.
The ban would not apply to symbols displayed for educational, artistic or religious purposes. The swastika will continue to be used by people who follow Hinduism Buddhism or Jainism.
Dreyfus is a Jew and said that the number of neo-Nazis in Australia was low, but that the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO), the country’s main spy agency, has raised concerns over their activities in the last three years.
“This is only a small group of people.” “I hope it gets smaller and will eventually disappear,” said he to Australian Broadcasting Corp.
