SA court denies alleged extremist Cameron Brodie-Hall bail after his lawyer compares racist ideology to smoking cannabis

Holding white supremacist ideals has been compared, in court, to an interest in smoking cannabis – with a lawyer insisting neither proves criminal intent.

A bedroom filled with fascist propaganda is no more indicative of criminal intent than would be “reading up on” smoking cannabis, an alleged neo-Nazi has told a court.

On Thursday, Cameron Brodie-Hall asked the District Court to release him on bail – his third plea for freedom – ahead of his terrorism trial, scheduled for January 2024.

Prosecutors opposed his bid, saying Brodie-Hall and his fascist cell had been recorded discussing “Adelaide Oval, the Adelaide transport system and the cameras covering both”.

They said he had previous convictions for similar offending and had even given a court a written promise he would dispose of all of his white supremacy material.

Cameron Brodie-Hall. Picture: Supplied

Mr Brodie-Hall, right, alongside Jackson Trevor Pay, left, at an SA Men’s Health Club event. Picture: Facebook

Craig Caldicott, for Mr Brodie-Hall, said it would be “impermissible” under law to take those matters into account when determining his client’s suitability for bail.

“Simply because you have an interest in something – it might be cars, the Catholic faith or mysteries of the past – doesn’t mean you’re in possession of illegal items,” he said.

“A person may have an interest in cannabis and have read up on all of that, but that doesn’t mean that the cannabis located in the common room is his cannabis.”

Mr Brodie-Hall, 22, of Mansfield Park, has pleaded not guilty to possessing both a document or record containing information likely to be used in a terrorism act, and extremist material.

Prosecutors allege he is the leader of the SA Men’s Health Club, a front for neo-Nazi activity in the state suspected of perpetrating public acts of hate speech.

The charges arise from two documents seized, by police, in the house he shared with Jackson Trevor Pay and Duncan Robert Cromb – each of whom has already pleaded guilty.

Members of the SA Men's Health Club protested outside the Adelaide Magistrates Court after Mr Brodie-Hall’s second refused bail application. Source: Supplied

On Thursday, Mr Caldicott said those documents had been found in a common area of the house, meaning there was “no proof” they belonged to Mr Brodie-Hall himself.

He said the court should disregard the Nazi material in his client’s room, along with his admissions to being a member of the racist National Socialist Network (NSN).

The court should, he said, also disregard his client’s statement to police that NSN was about “preserving White Australia” and had communicated with its leader, Thomas Sewell.

“I respectfully submit that what this shows is he has an interest in these items … to say that he’s adopted the ideology of the NSN is incorrect,” he said.

Judge Nick Alexandrides said it would be “inappropriate” to grant bail, given the seriousness of the allegations and the risk of reoffending, and remanded Mr Brodie-Hall in custody.