INQUIRY INTO FAR-RIGHT EXTREMISM

Centre Alliance Senator Rex Patrick will move to establish a wide-ranging Senate inquiry into far-right extremist groups in Australia. 

"The horrific events in Christchurch have put an international spotlight on the rise of far-right extremist groups and their international links, from Europe and the United States to Australia and New Zealand," Senator Rex Patrick said. "However there is much work to be done here in Australia if these terrible events are not to be repeated."

"The fact that the Christchurch mass murderer was not on any counter-terrorism watchlist, and indeed may have never come to the attention of security authorities in Australia and New Zealand, strongly suggests that there has been an “insufficient focus on right-wing extremism”.

"Over the past two decades there has rightly been much security attention directed at the threat of Islamic extremist terrorism. In practical terms, however, extreme right, White Nationalist groups have received less attention. A wide-ranging Senate inquiry can help remedy this deficiency."

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation’s most recent annual report to Parliament for 2017-18 has a lot to say about Islamic terrorist threats, but much less about far-right, White supremacist threats. Indeed all ASIO had to say on this subject was the following: ‘While the threat of terrorist attacks conducted by lone actors continues, these threats are not isolated to Islamist extremists. Individuals motivated by other ideologies—such as an extreme left- or right-wing ideology—may consider conducting an act of terrorism.’

"There has undoubtedly been greatly more surveillance of mosques and Muslim worshippers than far-right extremist groups as well as social media and internet chat rooms they use to share their hateful ideas," Rex said. 

"There is in fact a real dearth of hard information and analysis on right-wing extremist violence in Australia. The scale of this threat must be rigorously assessed in light of the Christchurch tragedy."

In 2017 an Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) study emphasised that ‘understanding the precise nature and scale of the far-right in Australia is made difficult by a lack of empirical information and research.’ 

The AIC paper went on to point out that Australia does not have any formal monitoring systems for far-right or White Supremacist violence, such as that of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation’s ‘Hate Crime Statistics’. The AIC observed that ‘In Australia, an act of violence characterised by the motivations of the offender ‘is not usually considered legally different to an act of violence motivated by profit or revenge’.  The only clear method of drawing such a distinction would be to prosecute offenders using terrorism legislation and to date, this has not occurred with acts of violence motivated by far-right ideology.’

The AIC concluded that ‘further research is needed to better understand the specific scale of the current threat and the demographics of those who perpetrate such acts, as well as the victims of this violence.’

There is also an urgent need to look closely at the role of social media propagating extremist ideology and propaganda. As one researcher for the Executive Council of Australian Jewry recently observed ‘An emboldened and activist far right threatens Australia's successful multicultural society. The targeting of Jews, homosexuals, Muslims and non-white immigrants, starts with vilification and demonization, propaganda and lies.’

Senator Patrick said that a wide-ranging Senate Committee inquiry would be timely to bring together evidence and assessments not only from Australia’s law enforcement and security agencies, but also from academics and non-government organisations and community groups with relevant expertise.

"This is not just a narrow security and law enforcement issue, any inquiry must be broad in scope and must investigate all dimensions of radicalisation," Rex said.

"Accordingly, immediately after the Senate reconvenes following the Federal election I will seek the agreement to an inquiry into far-right extremism and violence by the Senate Legal and Constitutional References Committee," Rex said. 

"With broad terms of reference the Committee can assess overall trends in the development of far-right extremism, examine the factors that fuel extremism and violence, and make whatever recommendations are appropriate to make Australia safer and free from violence that threatens our diverse society and democratic government."

"This important issue must not be neglected."