Tuesday, 17 March 2020

Anti-Semitism

Mr SOUTHWICK (Caulfield) (19:07): (2053) The matter I wish to raise today is for the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, who is at the table today. The action that I seek is for the government and the minister to work together with the Victorian opposition to bring forward legislation to ban the public display of the Nazi swastika and other Nazi symbols here in Victoria.

The minister and the government would be aware that on 2 February 2020 the Victorian Liberal Nationals announced a policy to ban the public display of the Nazi swastika and other Nazi symbols in Victoria. The opposition has now developed draft legislation to effect these changes via an amendment to the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001. This announcement comes during a period of rising extremism in Victoria and in Australia, with recent examples where the Nazi swastika has been used as a deliberate attempt to incite fear and hatred.

I also note that we have had an update from the ASIO director-general, Mike Burgess, who has said:

… ‘small cells’ of right-wing extremists were regularly gathering to salute Nazi flags, inspect weapons and to disperse their ‘hateful ideology’ …

while delivering his annual threat assessment. He also cited that some type of attack in the future by these groups is still probable and that they are recruiting children as young as 13 and 14.

Since announcing this policy the Victorian opposition has sought to work in a bipartisan manner with the government, and I would like to acknowledge the support of the minister and his willingness to work together with us on this important policy to date. Minister, with the legislation now drafted, the next steps would be for an exposure draft of the proposed laws to be provided to the community to seek feedback, with the view of bringing legislation into Parliament in a timely manner.

Politics has no place when it comes to fighting racism and anti-Semitism, and I could not think of a better way for the Parliament to stand united against hate than both Labor and the Liberal–Nationals working together to co-sponsor these important new laws to ban the ultimate symbol of hate—that is, the Nazi swastika—here in Victoria.