Extremism
Paul HAMER (Box Hill) (12:58): I rise to condemn the shameful scenes we saw on Saturday on the steps of the Victorian Parliament. As a child of a Holocaust survivor living in Melbourne, I did not think that I would see the day that in broad daylight we would see neo-Nazis marching down Spring Street with the Nazi salute, holding the Australian flag, the very flag that thousands of Australians died under while fighting the scourge of Nazism across Europe, the Middle East and Northern Africa. But let us be clear: these extremists did not turn up on Saturday out of the blue. They turned up to support an anti-trans rally and an activist with known links to right-wing extremist groups in another cowardly act of minority bashing and scapegoating. The Nazi regime and their modern sympathisers have always been about hate, whether it be directed to the Jewish community, the Muslim community, the LGBTIQ community or many others. The Nazi salute is used as a symbol of that hate, designed to strike fear against minorities. Displaying it in public serves no purpose other than to cause pain, fear and division. I am proud of the fact that I am part of a government that has banned the Nazi symbol, and I strongly support the Attorney-General’s commitment to banning the Nazi salute as well. I also join the Premier in telling every trans Victorian that might have been feeling understandably hurt over last few days that we see you, we respect you and we are with you. It is incumbent on all members of this place to condemn what we saw on the weekend and support our fellow Victorians.