Nazi Salute To Be Banned After Intelligence Deputy Corners Labor into Policy Backflip

Earlier this month, the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (“PJCIS”) recommended that the Federal Government prohibit Nazi symbols and other symbols of hate.

The Coalition members of the Committee provided additional comments, recommending that the ban be expanded to include the Nazi salute.

The Deputy Chair of the PJCIS, Liberal MP Andrew Wallace called out the Federal Labor Government for excluding the offensive and intimidating gesture and criticised them for making excuses when they refused to include the Nazi salute on spurious legal grounds.

The Attorney-General has, until today, repeatedly claimed that the banning of the Nazi salute was a matter more appropriately dealt with by state and territory law. He said, “We think that the appropriate place to deal with that is state law. State and territory police are on the street, if you like…”

Mr Wallace said that “I have reflected on my recent viewing of the harrowing 43 minute video of actual footage of the massacre of 1200 innocent Jewish civilians by Hamas terrorists on 7 October. I have also reflected on the 240 bloodied, beaten and wounded hostages who were taken at gun point, thrown into the backs of trucks and taken into Gaza to the cheers of the baying mobs of terrorists and Palestinian civilians.”

“I think of the families of the hostages and their pain and grief not knowing if their loved one, was alive, dead or severely wounded. I also think of the appalling scenes that we have witnessed in streets across the world, including in Australia where antisemitism has been permitted to go unchecked by Labor governments across this country.”

“This morning, I walked by a field of cardboard cut outs representing the 240 innocent Israeli civilians taken hostage by Hamas. I spoke with Jewish-Australians and I listened as they shared their heartache and their fears.”

“We simply cannot let weak arguments or a lack of political will get in the way of protecting Jewish Australians and others targeted by radical terror and extremism,” Mr Wallace added.

“That’s why I’m glad to hear that Labor have done a backflip and have finally committed to amending legislation to prohibit the Nazi salute.”

“But I am incredibly frustrated. Australians are frustrated. Once again, it took the Opposition to embarrass the Albanese Labor Government into action to keep Australians safe.”

“Once again, we have a Prime Minister and a Labor Government missing in action on national security, and throwing their arms up in the air when the going gets tough.”

“It becomes clearer each day that Australians can only rely on the Coalition to protect their families, their communities, and their interests. Labor is distracted, dithering and delayed on the most crucial of issues and it is Australians who are paying the price.”

The Nazi salute has a direct linkage to the criminal regime which was responsible for the deaths of more than 6 million Jews during World War II – as well as other communities oppressed because of their ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or disability.