Australian lawmakers enacted anti-hate legislation that imposes minimum punishments for a number of offences, including giving the Nazi salute, which carries a one-year jail penalty, reports RTE.
After a series of anti-Semitic incidents, the centre-left Labour administration and the Conservative opposition backed the act.
Following the discovery of mining explosives in a trailer on the outskirts of Sydney last week, coupled with scrawled threats against the Jewish community, police announced they were conducting an investigation, reports RTE.
Vandals have set a Sydney creche on fire, set a Melbourne synagogue on fire and scrawled anti-Semitic graffiti on Jewish areas in recent months.
The minimum penalties established by the changes to Australia’s criminal code include three years in jail for financing terrorism, six years in prison for participating in a terrorist act, and twelve months in prison for giving the Nazi salute, reports RTE.
Additionally, they fortify offences associated with inciting violence and establish new offences for threatening violence or causing property damage.
Despite his party’s long-standing opposition to mandatory minimum terms, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese justified his support for them under the new law.
“What we’ve done, through our legislation, makes sure that we have strong legislation,” he said, reports RTE.
“We want people who are engaged in anti-Semitic activities to be caught, to be charged and to be put in the clink. That’s my priority,” reports RTE.
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