February 3, 2025
Australia has imposed counter-terror financing sanctions on an online white supremacist network that promotes racially-motivated violence, amid calls for the Albanese government to do more to tackle the nation's anti-Semitism crisis.
The federal government has acted to make it a criminal offence for any Australian to use or deal with the assets of the extreme right-wing "Terrorgram" network, with penalties including up to 10 years' imprisonment and heavy fines, following similar moves in the US and UK.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the sanctions on Terrorgram, which is a decentralised network of channels on the platform Telegram that promotes radical neo-Nazi and violent content, were part of the government's work to "combat anti-Semitism and keep Australians safe".
Terrogram openly advocates for the commission of terrorist acts and shares guides on how members should conduct racially motivated violent acts.
As parliament prepares to sit for the first time in 2025 tomorrow, Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson said there were a number of things Labor could do immediately to tackle antiSemitism in Australia, including reforms to current incitement to violence laws, minimum sentences of at least six years for Commonwealth terrorism offences and 12month terms for public display of hate symbols.
"Anti-Semitic graffiti incidents in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth over the weekend can all be added to the Prime Minister's new database," Mr Paterson said. "But so far there is no evidence being added to an excel spreadsheet will deter anti-Semites."
