Worrying times for the poor old Australian Nazi. In most states he can no longer wave his swastika, while in Victoria he soon won’t even be allowed to salute. This week, the federal government decided it would make him a criminal if he traffics in his memorabilia.
But he (I think we can safely call him he/him) can take heart. With the best of intentions, these bans can drive him into his happy place, his dark webby corners, where his victimhood can attract his fellow travellers. Just like in the 1920s, being banned gives him his energy. When he’s being conspired against, he can launch his own conspiracy.
The Australian bans on Nazi symbols fit into a global drive. For decades after World War II, public displays of swastikas and other symbols remained legal. Bans have come into force in many countries in the past decade; only in 2012 was the swastika criminalised in Israel. Many nations followed, including China in 2018.
Australia’s states (except Western Australia and South Australia) led the way and this week the national jurisdiction chimed in. “We will no longer allow people to profit from the display and sale of items which celebrate the Nazis and their evil ideology,” said federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus in announcing the new legislation with multi-party support.
Read the article by Malcolm Knox in WAToday.