Inquiry into Right Wing Extremist Movements in Australia

Liberty Victoria has been very concerned by the re-emergence of far-right extremism over recent years, and we have made submissions on that issue to:

a. The Commonwealth Parliament’s Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security’s (PJCIS) Inquiry into Extremist Movements and Radicalism in Australia in February 2021;¹

b. The Victorian Parliament’s Legal and Social Issues Committee’s Inquiry into Extremism in May 2022; ² and

c. The Commonwealth Parliament’s Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee’s Inquiry into the Criminal Code Amendment (Prohibition of Nazi Symbols) Bill 2023 dated 9 May 2023.³ 

Liberty Victoria also gave evidence to the Victorian Parliament’s Inquiry into Extremism,⁴ and the Commonwealth Parliament’s Inquiry into the Criminal Code Amendment (Prohibition of Nazi Symbols) Bill 2023.⁵

We have repeatedly called for a preventative rather than reactionary response to far-right extremism that addresses the drivers as to why some people are drawn to extremism in the first place; one that focuses on improving social cohesion and trust in institutions, including trust in government and the media, rather than focussing on expanding censorship and surveillance.⁶ 

To that end, we emphasise the Finding 19 of the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into Extremism: responses to extremism need to avoid measures that curtail civil liberties in a disproportionate manner.

1 Submission to the PJCIS Inquiry into Extremist Movements and Radicalism in Australia, https://libertyvictoria.org.au/sites/default/files/210201%20Extremism%20.... This was a joint submission with Muslim Collective.

2 Submission to the Victorian Parliament’s Legal and Social Issues Committee’s Inquiry into Extremism, https://libertyvictoria.org.au/sites/default/files/220513%20LV%20Submiss... mism%20Inquiry.pdf.

3 Submission to the the Commonwealth Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee Inquiry into the Criminal Code Amendment (Prohibition of Nazi Symbols) Bill 2023: https://libertyvictoria.org.au/content/criminal-code-amendment-prohibiti...

4 Transcript of evidence given to the Victorian Parliament’s Legal and Social Issues Committee by Michael Stanton, then President of Liberty Victoria: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/lsiclc/inquiries/article/4892.

5 Transcript of evidence given to the Commonwealth Parliament’s Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee by Michael Stanton, President of Liberty Victoria (evidence given together with Mr Stephen Blanks from the New South Wales Council for Civil Liberties): https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary Business/Hansard/Hansard Display?bid=committees/comms en/26775/&sid=0004

6 Response to question from the Victorian Parliament’s Legal and Social Issues Committee, https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/SCLSI/Inquiry into Extremism In Vict oria/Transcripts/2022.06.14/QONs/Liberty Victoira response to question.pdf.

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