Neo-Nazis and Extremists a Cause for Concern Ahead of the Voice Vote: Home Affairs Minister

Police remove a protester during a transgender rights rally, involving opposing neo-Nazi protesters, outside Parliament House in Melbourne, Australia, on March 18, 2023. James Ross/AAP Image

The rise of far-right extremism, neo-Nazism, and racial hatred is a growing concern as the Indigenous voice referendum approaches, according to Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil.

Australians will cast their Oct. 14 to decide on the inclusion of an Indigenous advisory body in the constitution.

Ms. O’Neil voiced her concerns about the rise of neo-Nazi groups and their visibility around the referendum saying she was worried.

When interviewed on channel nine’s Today Show on Oct. 5 she said: “we’re seeing over time in Australia different types of groups who pop up, selecting different ideologies ... being radicalised and joining these communities online, working together and getting more violent in their radical activities.”

A rally to vote “yes” to the voice was held in Treasury Gardens in Melbourne on Oct. 1 in which a group of neo-Nazi’s dressed in black, many with their faces covered, held a sign that read “Voice = Anti White.”

The group infiltrated the event while facing jeers from members of the public and, on one occasion, were subjected to pepper spray by the police.

ASIO Warning on Far-Right Threat

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) has identified a growing and evolving far-right threat in the country.

Approximately 30 percent of ASIO’s current counter-terrorism workload consists of right-wing terror threats, with the agency’s leader cautioning that these threats are gaining prominence in their efforts to expand their recruitment.

ASIO head Mike Burgess said that “right-wing extremists are more organised, sophisticated, ideological and active than previous years.”

“It’s a sign that those groups are more emboldened to come out publicly, to push what they believe in and recruit to their cause.”

This threat is increasingly more organised and sophisticated, utilising online platforms for radicalisation and recruitment with ASIO’s 2021-22 Annual Report highlighting that far-right ideologies, including white supremacy and anti-government extremism, inspiring them.

ASIO has emphasised the serious threat the far-right poses to public safety, citing past incidents like the Christchurch mosque attacks in 2019.

The Australian Government has responded by establishing a National Counter Terrorism Coordination Centre, increasing funding for security agencies, enacting laws for easier prosecution, and collaborating with social media platforms to remove extremist content.

Despite these efforts, the far-right threat remains significant, prompting ongoing monitoring and preventive measures by ASIO.