Australia’s government intends to pursue legislation that will make it illegal to display and sell Nazi emblems everywhere. The action is a reaction to an increase in far-right activity in the country.
While there are currently laws against the use of Nazi symbols in Australia, the new federal regulation would also bar the trafficking of such items.
Australia’s Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has backed the need for a federal law due to the increasing prevalence of violent far-right activities.
The government aims to put an end to the trading of Nazi memorabilia and any items bearing these symbols, asserting that there is no place in Australia for the dissemination of hatred and violence.
The legislation, which would carry a penalty of up to one year in prison for displaying Nazi symbols, will have exclusions for religious, educational, and artistic purposes.
The use of the swastika in religious practices of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism will not be affected.
Mr Dreyfus acknowledged that the number of neo-Nazis is relatively small, but the Australian Security Intelligence Organization has expressed concerns about their activities over the past three years.
“This is a very small number of people. I’m hoping it’s getting small and it will eventually disappear,” he told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
Australia’s Labor Party government controls the House of Representatives but lacks control of the Senate, making it uncertain when the ban might be passed or take effect.
“This is a very small number of people. I’m hoping it’s getting small and it will eventually disappear,” he told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
Many countries throughout the world have laws against using Nazi emblems.
The flying of Nazi flags is prohibited or restricted in a few European nations, despite the fact that it is lawful in the majority of them
Nazi flags, uniforms, and insignia cannot be shown in public in France unless they are part of a historical film, play, production, or spectacle.
It is not currently illegal to sell Nazi memorabilia in the United Kingdom.
A prominent Holocaust charity has urged the government to contemplate enacting laws that would prohibit the sale of Nazi memorabilia.
This plea comes in response to a recent incident where a UK auction house sold a Nazi artefact for a substantial sum of money.
In Germany, the act of unlawfully exhibiting Nazi symbols can result in a prison sentence of up to three years. However, the ban provides a significant exemption for artistic expression.
