TRANSCRIPT
What is far-right extremism?
The term refers to people or organisations who promote ultra-nationalism that often excludes certain groups.
This type of extremism can oppose democratic principles and processes and can include groups who consider violence a legitimate way to achieve their goals.
A parliamentary inquiry is looking into the threats posed by these extremist movements, and their capacity for violence.
Professor Michele Grossman is the Director of the Centre for Resilient and Inclusive Societies.
She told the inquiry there's evidence people of all ages are becoming more involved with extreme ideologies.
"Far right extremism is accelerating in Australia and around the world enabled by digitally based social, operational and financial connectivities. There is also increasing crossover between far-right extremist movements and other grievance based ideologies in groups such as those aligned with conspiracy theories, hateful extremism, extreme misogyny, and the polarizing impacts of political mis- and dis-information, creating a post-truth environment of uncertainty, mistrust, and resentment."
Lydia Khalil is from the Addressing Violent Extremism and Radicalisation to Terrorism (AVERT) Network.
She told the inquiry the internet and the massive social change it has brought is part of the problem.
"And these changes have corresponded with the growth of far-right populism, disaffection with democracy and global capitalism, which has also increased distrust in faith in democratic governments and institutions. And Australia has a high level of welfare and wellbeing. However, it hasn't been immune to these dynamics in the accompanying growth of extreme and far-right tendencies. Right-wing extremist violence is a key concern. It often has fluid boundaries between hate crime and organised terrorism. A lot of right-wing extremist violence manifests as hate crimes in addition to the rare instances of mass casualty attacks targeting the general population."
Dr Khalil says changing demographics in Australia also mean right-wing extremism is not just a mono-cultural phenomenon.
"Oftentimes we think of right-wing extremism as a white Anglo male phenomenon. However, the expression of right-wing extremism has been manifested and shown across different aspects of our multicultural society, unfortunately. So for example, that could be the rise in Hindus for extremism, for example, or pro-Putin apologists, or with ultra-Croatian fascist expressions. So while that is the stereotypical image, it's important that to understand that those ideas manifest across ethnicities and across communities, both in Australia and globally as well."
Mr Itamar Livne, speaking on behalf of the Australian Jewish Democratic Society, told the inquiry the Jewish community in Australia remains a target of right-wing extremism.
The Society is calling for Australia to develop a national database and set definitions for hate-crimes instead of relying on not-for-profit organisations or volunteers to provide data.
It currently remains difficult to identify what exactly is happening around the country.
States and territories do not have similar methodologies which makes it difficult to identify hate-crimes.
Mr Livne says along with growing anti-semitism, there are also concerns about the presence of right-wing elements within the Jewish community itself.
"As with other organisations, we are concerned about the activity of the activist far right, including its attempt to infiltrate and recruit in settings such as local government, as well as its staging of attention-seeking events. Second, we are concerned about ties between certain sections of the Jewish community and extremist, right-wing Israeli groups and ideologies. In particular, we're concerned about political and financial connections between certain local Jewish organisations and extremist groups in Israel and the Occupied Territories."
Mr Livne says these groups pose a threat to social cohesion.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry has recently spoken out strongly against one such organisation. We see in Europe and the US support for such ethno-nationalist extremism on the right. In the US support comes from right wing Christian Zionists and right wing Zionists who believe that Palestinians have no place in the holy land. We fear that in Australia it's a similar case and local connections with extremist Israeli ethno-nationalist ideologies posing a threat to social cohesion in Australia especially with the heightened tensions over Israel-Palestine."
Online gaming platforms are increasingly being used by extremists to expose children and young people to radicalised ideologies.
Along with gaming platforms featuring violent narratives, toxic masculinity is also playing a role in breeding right-wing group membership.
Associate Professor Josh Roose, from Deakin University, told the inquiry important work is currently being done to work with boys and men who are the primary contributors to violent extremism.
"We know that anger is a core driver to violent extremism, and so there's a lot of work going on in particular in this country, in the light of violent misogyny, questions around not only domestic violence, which is debatable in its links to extremism, but more broadly the issue around why men are drawn into these groups. So my own research has looked at, for example, the use of masculinity as a recruitment mechanism, how it's targeted by recruiters talking about anger, shame going from zero to hero by joining our group and belonging to something bigger than yourself."
Professor Roose says these education programs have a positive focus about how men can contribute to society, how to show respect for women - important steps in addressing potential future grievances that may make right-wing groups attractive.
Rana Ebrahimi, National Manager of Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network Australia, says education campaigns also need to work with families, not just young people.
"Prevention is the best way and education as well. And it's not just education for young people and prevention on the young cohorts, but it also needs to cover the families - especially mothers - because they are in constant relationship with the child as well. And they can see the signs of change in behaviour. The fathers are role models, especially in the misogyny behaviours. So it takes a whole of the family and the schools needs to be educated and informed to be prepared to do preventive measures. It's a whole-of-nation conversation."
The public hearings continue.
The Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee for inquiry is due to report its findings by December.
