COMMITTEES

Mr WALLACE (Fisher) (16:14): On behalf of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, I present the committee's report Review of the listing of White Australia as a prohibited hate group under the Criminal Code. Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e). Mr WALLACE: by leave—This review was conducted under section 114A.9 of the Criminal Code Act 1995, following the making of regulations in May 2026 specifying White Australia as a prohibited hate group.

This was the second use of the prohibited hate group framework established by the parliament earlier this year, and the committee approached its task conscious of both the seriousness of the listing power and the need to ensure that the statutory safeguards enacted by parliament were properly applied. The committee carefully examined the material provided by the government, including a detailed statement of reasons, and considered submissions from a range of stakeholders expressing strongly held and at times divergent views.

The committee also held an in-camera hearing to test the evidence and satisfy itself that the legislative criteria for listing had been met and that the process followed was consistent with the requirements of the act. Having regard to all of the evidence before it, the committee is satisfied that White Australia meets the legislative criteria for listing as a prohibited hate group and that the listing has been properly made.

In particular, the committee accepts that White Australia has engaged in conduct constituting hate crimes, including using propaganda to incite hatred against minority and migrant communities and attacking a First Nations protest camp. The committee is satisfied that the listing is reasonably necessary to protect the Australian community from social, economic, psychological and physical harm.

Accordingly, the committee supports the listing of White Australia as a prohibited hate group under the Criminal Code and finds no reason to disallow the legislative instrument. I commend the report to the House.