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The Australian Jewish Democratic Society has sent a submission to the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Security ahead of the review of the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Prohibited Hate Symbols and Other Measures) Bill 2023.

J-Wire understands that this is the sec0nd submission, with the first one sent by The Executive Council of Australian Jewry.

The ADJS  has also been invited to give evidence to the committee on 1 September.

The organisation has told J-Wire: “The right strategy with dealing with Nazi groups is for pro-active intelligence and well-resourced education and preventative work in the communities and schools against extremism. The proposed bill basically ignores this latter issue.  In this regard, AJDS is in agreement with the ECAJ submission ‘that a critical part of the message will be lost unless anti-Jewish, anti-Indigenous, anti-Muslim, anti-Hindu, anti-Asian and anti-LGBTIQA+ prejudice and other commonly-encountered forms of prejudice in Australia are expressly addressed’.  A real problem, however, is that a lot of this prejudice and extremism is online and policing the social media for hate speech, including Twitter (now X), is easier said than done. “

Summarising its submission, AJDS says issues arise when considering the prohibition of the Nazi swastika or SS symbols, given the prevalence of alternative neo-Nazi emblems. Notably, Neo-Nazis adopt different symbols not targeted for banning. Concerns persist regarding sensationalist media coverage that fuels their agenda.

While the abhorrent trade in Holocaust artifacts, potentially including Islamic State flags, is deeply troubling, banning may inadvertently drive this trade underground. Doubts surround the efficacy of bans, as they could push materials to covert sales or overseas channels. Notably, dealers in Nazi relics remain unrepentant and identifiable.

The ban on the IS flag presents a trifold dilemma. Firstly, the Shahadah’s presence akin to the Shema’ offends Muslims, despite misappropriation. Secondly, segments resembling Muhammad’s seal are used as decorations or accessories, potentially leading to confusion and unjust prosecution. Thirdly, the inconsistency of banning the IS flag while allowing other extremist flags raises questions, including the appropriation of standard flags by extremists. Addressing these complexities requires careful consideration.