Australia has introduced new amendments mandating strict jail terms for performing the Nazi salute and displaying hate symbols, marking the toughest hate crime laws in the country’s history. The new legislation, passed on Thursday, enforces mandatory prison sentences ranging from one to six years for hate-related offences and terrorism activities.
Under the amendments, individuals caught performing the Nazi salute or displaying hate symbols now face a compulsory minimum of one year in prison. Financing terrorism carries at least a three-year sentence, while committing or planning terrorist acts results in a mandatory six-year term.
The changes come amid rising concerns over antisemitic attacks in Australia. Officials have described the amendments as an unprecedented move against hate crimes. However, the ruling Labor Party has faced criticism for contradicting its own policy of opposing mandatory sentencing, arguing that such penalties do not effectively reduce crime and undermine judicial independence.
Former Labor senator Kim Carr denounced the amendments as a “clear breach” of the party’s national platform. Despite this, opposition parties have also criticized the government for acting too slowly. Liberal Senator James Paterson stated that Labor was “dragged kicking and screaming” into action.
Recent incidents have fueled the urgency for stricter laws. Just last week, authorities in Sydney discovered a caravan filled with explosives alongside an antisemitic note. Shortly before that, a childcare center near a Jewish school and synagogue was deliberately set on fire, with antisemitic graffiti found on its walls. In December, a Melbourne synagogue was targeted in an arson attack while worshippers were inside, causing widespread alarm.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke defended the amendments, emphasizing that they are designed to prevent violence based on identity, faith, or sexual orientation. “This is not about politics,” Burke stated. “This is about whether the Australian Parliament believes it’s acceptable to advocate, threaten, or commit violence against another person because of who they are, who they pray to, or who they love.”
Performing the Nazi salute and displaying Nazi symbols had already been banned since January 2024, previously carrying a maximum penalty of one year in prison. With Thursday’s amendments, these penalties are now mandatory, underscoring Australia’s zero-tolerance stance on hate crimes and terrorism.
