Federal legislation criminalising the public display or sale of Nazi and terrorist group symbols came into effect in Australia on Monday.

The legislation criminalises the Nazi salute and public display of Nazi symbols, including the Nazi double sig rune “Schutzstaggel” and the Nazi Hakenkreuz. These offences are punishable by up to 12 months in prison. Exemptions to the crimes exist for educational, academic and sacred religious purposes.

The changes also outlawed the sale and trade of goods affiliated with the prohibited symbols. “This is the first legislation of its kind and will ensure no one in Australia will be allowed to glorify or profit from acts and symbols that celebrate the Nazis and their evil ideology,” said Attorney General Mark Dreyfus said in a statement. “There is no place in Australia for acts and symbols that glorify the horrors of the Holocaust and terrorist acts.”

The Australian-first legislation is a response from the Albanese Government to the recent spike in antisemitism incidents. One of these incidents included the performance of the salute on the steps of the Victorian parliament by 30 National Socialist Movement members in March at the anti-transgender rights rally.

Introduced in June and passed in December 2023, the new laws intend to strengthen Australia’s counter-terrorism framework and protect the rights of the Australian community. Initially, the bill did not address the use of the Nazi salute, with federal law intending to leave the matter to the discretion of individual states. Following several anti-semitic incidents, the bill was amended in November to make the use of the salute unlawful.

The law has acquired a new significance amid the Israel-Gaza war, with Australia witnessing a rise in Islamophobic and anti-semitic incidents since October 7.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasised Australia’s stance on antisemitism, “we will continue to make it clear there is no place for prejudice or hatred, antisemitism or Islamophobia here in our society.”