Australia to Ban Nazi Symbols Next Week, Not Hindu Swastika
Due to a rise in far-right activities, Australia’s government aims to pass legislation that would make swastikas and other Nazi symbols illegal nationally, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said on Thursday.
The federal bill would go farther by outlawing the trading of such materials, Dreyfus said, even though the majority of Australian jurisdictions already prohibit such Nazi insignia.
“This type of violent far-right action has increased. We believe that a federal statute is necessary, and I’ll be presenting one to the Parliament next week, Dreyfus told Nine Network television.
We are in charge of import and export. We want to put a stop to the trade in memorabilia of this kind or in anything bearing those Nazi insignia,” Dreyfus added. “Spreading hatred and violence has no place in Australia.”
It is unknown when a ban may pass or go into force since the Labor Party administration only has power over the House of Representatives and not the Senate. The bill would make it a crime to exhibit Nazi insignia and carry a sentence of up to a year in jail.
Among a number of exceptions to the rule would be the display of symbols for artistic, educational, or religious reasons. It won’t have an impact on how those who practice Hinduism, Buddhism, or Jainism utilize the swastika.
Dreyfus, a Jew, said that while there were few neo-Nazis in Australia, the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, the country’s top espionage agency, had expressed worries about their activities in the previous three years.
“There are relatively few people here. I’m hopeful it will finally go since it’s becoming smaller,” he told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
