Elise Archer, Attorney General, Minister for Justice, 29 March 2023
Taking action to prohibit Nazi symbols and salutes
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Elise Archer has today tabled the Police Offences Amendment (Nazi Symbol and Gesture Prohibition) Bill 2023 in the House of Assembly.
The Rockliff Liberal Government strongly condemns any display of hate in our community, and the Attorney-General said Nazi symbols and salutes, and the appalling message they send, have absolutely no place in our society.
“I am strongly committed to ensuring our laws appropriately reflect community expectations, and we know that such Nazi displays are a blatant breach of both our moral and community standards,” the Attorney-General said.
“The Bill amends the Police Offences Act 1935 (the Police Offences Act) to require that a person must not, by a public act and without a legitimate public purpose, display a Nazi symbol if the person knows, or ought to know, that the symbol is a Nazi symbol.
“Further, following the recent disturbing use of the Nazi salute during a demonstration in Victoria, the Bill will also prohibit the use of the Nazi salute.
“Our Government wants everyone in our community to feel safe from these disturbing displays, whether it be the display of Nazi symbols or the use of the Nazi salute, as we know they can cause hate and fear.”
Importantly, the Bill acknowledges the continued importance of the swastika to the Buddhist, Hindu and Jain communities, and clearly states that the display of a swastika in this context is not an offence.
The Bill also acknowledges other legitimate public purposes for display, including other religious, cultural, academic, educational purposes and in opposition to fascism, Nazism or neo-Nazism.
The penalty for a person convicted of committing either the offence of displaying a Nazi symbol or performing a Nazi gesture is a maximum penalty not exceeding 20 penalty units, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months.
Similar to other offences in the Police Offences Act, repeat offending is considered serious. If the person has previously been convicted of the offence within six months, the person is liable to a penalty not exceeding 40 penalty units, or imprisonment not exceeding six months.
“This nation-leading reform will send a very strong message that offensive and hateful conduct is absolutely not welcome here in Tasmania.” the Attorney-General said.
“It builds on our ongoing commitment to create a more caring community in Tasmania, and I look forward to the Bill’s passage through the Parliament.”
Media release – Ella Haddad MP, Shadow Attorney General, Shadow Minister for Justice, Shadow Minister for
Equality, 29 March 2023
Labor welcomes bill to ban Nazi salute
Tasmanian Labor has welcomed the tabling of a bill which includes banning the display of Nazi symbols and Nazi gestures including the Nazi salute.
Labor fought for the inclusion of banning physical gestures, like the Nazi salute, after the original drafting of the bill did not go far enough to protect Tasmanians from hate related crime.
There is no place in Tasmania for abhorrent behaviour that causes division within our community.
The scenes that unfolded on the steps of the Victorian Parliament this month were deeply worrying and should never be allowed to happen in our state, or anywhere.
Tasmania Labor condemns neo-Nazi behaviour, and supports the strengthening of laws to protect Tasmanians.
Media release – Equality Tasmania, 29 March 2023
ADVOCATES WELCOME TAS GOV MOVE TO BAN NAZI SALUTES
Equality Tasmania has welcomed the Tasmanian Government’s introduction to Parliament of nation-leading legislation banning Nazi symbols.
For the first time in Australia the legislation will include Nazi salutes following public Nazi salutes during an anti-transgender event in Melbourne.
Equality Tasmania President, Rodney Croome, said,
“We welcome the Tasmanian Government’s commitment to banning Nazi symbols and to ensuring Nazi salutes are included in that ban.”
“LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians have been subject to Nazi-branded hate for many years including during the marriage postal survey.”
“The Government’s announcement means Tasmania will have nation-leading anti-Nazi legislation.”
