Peter Dutton makes parliamentary move to ban Nazi symbols, salutes and uniforms

The federal opposition leader has made a bid to ban symbols and actions associated with the Nazi party, calling to unite parliament in condemning the most heinous regimes in history.

Peter Dutton fired up after the Mark Dreyfus accusation he stayed silent on the Nazi issues last weekend in Melbourne.Picture: Gary Ramage

Peter Dutton has called on the federal parliament to unite and ban the display

of Nazi symbols.

The Coalition on Wednesday tried to introduce a Bill to amend the Criminal Code to prohibit symbols or actions associated with the Nazi party, including the Nazi swastika, salute and uniforms.

The Opposition leader said Nazi symbols were associated with one of the most heinous regimes in history and “must be condemned wherever and whenever they are found and displayed”.

Far right wing group does Nazi salutes on the steps of parliament during an anti-trans rally in Melbourne. Picture: David Crosling

“Today, we must stand united as a parliament,” Mr Dutton told the parliament.

“We seek to make it an offence to display such symbols without a reasonable excuse.

“The penalty would be 100 units or 12 months imprisonment.”

Mr Dutton said the display of a swastika in connection with Buddhism, Hinduism or Jainism did not constitute the display of a Nazi symbol.

He said the prohibition did not interfere with the vital work of teaching young people about the evils of the past, would not apply to journalism, or where symbols were displayed for another purpose in the public interest.

Mr Dutton also dismissed claims the changes to the Code would be an infringement of civil liberties, saying people who display Nazi symbols were either ignorant of history, or “knowingly lionising an evil which must never be revisited upon humanity”.

“Sadly, and repugnantly, there is a growing incidence of the glorification of Nazism in Australia,” he said.

“We owe it to all those who were victims of one of the greatest crimes ever committed that such crimes are never repeated.”

But the move to suspend standing orders to introduce legal affairs spokesman Julian Leeser’s Bill was shut down by the government.

Leader of the House, Tony Burke said of all the symbols of bigotry, the Nazi salute was one they had “a particular need to unanimously oppose.” Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Leader of the House, Tony Burke, said: “Nobody should think, because we divide on the procedure, that somehow that creates a divide on the repugnancy of Nazism and the symbols that go with it”.

“Of all the symbols of bigotry, this is one we have a particular need to unanimously oppose,” Mr Burke told the House.

“These symbols have become the symbols of the worst of humanity, and I was stunned and horrified to see them appearing in Melbourne.”

A spokesman for the Attorney-General said its department had been “considering matters related to the prohibition of Nazi symbols for some months”.

Macnamara MP Josh Burns told the Herald Sun he welcomed the intent of the Federal Opposition to move quickly on this matter

But he said being asked to support legislation that was not circulated prior to a vote was not the appropriate process.

“These are serious laws that go beyond politics. They need to be legislated carefully and with proper process,” Mr Burns said.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus on Tuesday accused Mr Dutton of failing to condemn a group of protesters who performed the Nazi salute on the steps of the Victorian parliament.

But Mr Dutton slammed the claims as an “unfounded attack”, saying the Coalition joined with Labor in condemning “any use of Nazi symbols of the salute, of any glorification of that period of history”.

Originally published as Peter Dutton makes parliamentary move to ban Nazi symbols, salutes and uniforms