Australia's Race Discrimination Commissioner, Giridharan Sivaraman, has condemned the neo-Nazi rally held in Adelaide on Australia Day, warning a National Anti-Racism Framework is the only way to adequately combat the rise of the white supremacy movement.
South Australian police arrested 16 men on Sunday, believed to be members of the National Socialist Network, following a march through Adelaide's CBD. Most of the men were said to be from interstate, including a 25-year-old man from Western Australia who was charged with using a Nazi symbol.
"The neo-Nazi rally in Adelaide, that pointedly began at the War Memorial, was shocking. The rise of far-right movements in this country and their influence cannot be ignored," Commissioner Sivaraman said.
"This was a day of national significance which is also a day of sorrow and remembrance for many First Nations people. The choice of these men to march on this specific day is a brazen act of hate and division which we must unite against.
"These rallies are a horrific manifestation of what happens when racism is normalised - to the extent that neo-Nazis are emboldened to be on our streets again and again as a threatening force. We must properly name and confront the racism ingrained across our society.
"Politicians and other prominent figures need to be careful that their language doesn't embolden these acts of hatred. The media needs to be careful about which ideologies it platforms and how. We must never forget that the worst mass murder committed by an Australian in recent times was by a white supremacist in Christchurch in 2019.
"The far-right extremism of these white supremacists is a threat that must be taken seriously. First Nations peoples, Jews, Muslims, trans people, and migrants and refugees are on the frontlines of this hatred.
"If we really want to target these and other similar threats, the only way forward is national anti-racism action that addresses the roots of this ideology in Australia. It is the ultimate antidote to racism and its violence.
"The National Anti-Racism Framework we released last year recommends Australian governments develop and fund community-informed early intervention solutions to address far-right extremism and white supremacy at its roots.
"These solutions must focus on prevention and community wellbeing as well as providing redress for the harms experienced by targeted individuals and communities. There is still time to act before even more communities are harmed."
Commissioner Sivaraman will deliver a keynote address on addressing racism at the Multicultural Communities Council of South Australia Harmony Day lecture on 18 March in Adelaide.
