Australia introduces mandatory jail time for hate crimes, including for giving Nazi salute
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Australia Enacts Mandatory Jail Terms for Nazi Salutes
Above: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during an address to the National Press Club of Australia in Canberra on Jan. 24, 2025. Image copyright: Alex Ellinghausen/Contributor/Fairfax Media/Sydney Morning Herald via Getty Images
The Facts
Australia's parliament Thursday passed sweeping new hate crime laws that mandate minimum prison sentences for various offenses, including 12 months for displaying Nazi symbols or performing Nazi salutes, three years for financing terrorism, and six years for terror acts.
The Criminal Code Amendment (Hate Crimes) Bill 2024 creates new criminal offenses and protects groups distinguished by race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, nationality, and political opinion from threats and advocacy of violence.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, who on Wednesday introduced into parliament amendments to the government's legislation, called antisemitism "as ancient as it is vile," but said the bill would "protect all Australians."
The Spin
Right narrative
The mandatory minimum sentences send a powerful message of zero tolerance to potential perpetrators and represent a necessary step to combating the shocking rise in antisemitism. Previous light sentences have failed to deter antisemitic crime, making these tough new measures essential for protecting vulnerable communities.
Left narrative
Mandatory sentencing laws are arbitrary and undermine judicial independence by preventing courts from imposing appropriate penalties based on individual circumstances. These measures contradict evidence-based approaches to reducing crime, limit judicial discretion, and risk causing grave injustice in the legal system.