Online hate group listed as a terrorist organisation
The online far-right extremist network Terrorgram has been listed as a terrorist organisation, with members facing decades in jail if convicted of an offence.
The federal government says the group provides instructions on how to conduct terrorist attacks and has been responsible for inspiring terror events in the United States, Europe and Asia.
The listing means Australians who join, recruit or fund the network will face prison terms of up to 25 years.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the listing was different to previous ones because of the way Terrorgram operated.
"If people imagine a big chat group dedicated to hatred and violence," he told ABC Radio on Friday.
"It's a situation where the members won't necessarily know each other. They won't necessarily know the people who they're recruiting."
Mr Burke said the group was a direct threat to the safety of Australians and had previously made threats.
The group encouraged not just the sharing of hatred but the sharing of acts of violence and how-to guides to enable people to commit acts of violence, he said.
"You never stop chasing these characters down ... this listing won't be the last thing we have to do against far-right supremacist groups."
Mr Burke said the nature of terrorist threats kept changing, particularly involving young males being radicalised online around the principle of violence.
"These sorts of groups try to tell a whole lot of Australians they're not welcome here," he said.
"They try to tell people they intend for them not be safe.
"We're saying 'no, no, no, it's the hatred and the bigotry and the violence that isn't welcome here'."
Mr Burke said the government was sending the message anyone who wanted to engage in Terrorgram faced serious criminal penalties.
In February, the neo-Nazi and white supremacist group was slapped with counter-terrorism financing sanctions as part of the federal government's crackdown on anti-Semitism.
Its channels share fascist content on how members can carry out racially-motivated violence against minority groups, police, public figures, political figures and journalists.
Announcing the financing sanctions, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said they made it a criminal offence to use or deal with the assets of, or make assets available to, Terrorgram.
Penalties include up to 10 years in prison and heavy fines.
It was the first time Australia had imposed counter-terrorism financing sanctions on an entirely online entity, Senator Wong said.
Terrorgram has operated on the Russian-founded social media site Telegram, aiming to inspire lone-wolf acts of terror.
In January, the US State Department branded Terrorgram a terrorist group.
The online far-right extremist network Terrorgram has been listed as a terrorist organisation, with members facing decades in jail if convicted of an offence.
The federal government says the group provides instructions on how to conduct terrorist attacks and has been responsible for inspiring terror events in the United States, Europe and Asia.
The listing means Australians who join, recruit or fund the network will face prison terms of up to 25 years.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the listing was different to previous ones because of the way Terrorgram operated.
"If people imagine a big chat group dedicated to hatred and violence," he told ABC Radio on Friday.
"It's a situation where the members won't necessarily know each other. They won't necessarily know the people who they're recruiting."
Mr Burke said the group was a direct threat to the safety of Australians and had previously made threats.
The group encouraged not just the sharing of hatred but the sharing of acts of violence and how-to guides to enable people to commit acts of violence, he said.
"You never stop chasing these characters down ... this listing won't be the last thing we have to do against far-right supremacist groups."
Mr Burke said the nature of terrorist threats kept changing, particularly involving young males being radicalised online around the principle of violence.
"These sorts of groups try to tell a whole lot of Australians they're not welcome here," he said.
"They try to tell people they intend for them not be safe.
"We're saying 'no, no, no, it's the hatred and the bigotry and the violence that isn't welcome here'."
Mr Burke said the government was sending the message anyone who wanted to engage in Terrorgram faced serious criminal penalties.
In February, the neo-Nazi and white supremacist group was slapped with counter-terrorism financing sanctions as part of the federal government's crackdown on anti-Semitism.
Its channels share fascist content on how members can carry out racially-motivated violence against minority groups, police, public figures, political figures and journalists.
Announcing the financing sanctions, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said they made it a criminal offence to use or deal with the assets of, or make assets available to, Terrorgram.
Penalties include up to 10 years in prison and heavy fines.
It was the first time Australia had imposed counter-terrorism financing sanctions on an entirely online entity, Senator Wong said.
Terrorgram has operated on the Russian-founded social media site Telegram, aiming to inspire lone-wolf acts of terror.
In January, the US State Department branded Terrorgram a terrorist group.
The online far-right extremist network Terrorgram has been listed as a terrorist organisation, with members facing decades in jail if convicted of an offence.
The federal government says the group provides instructions on how to conduct terrorist attacks and has been responsible for inspiring terror events in the United States, Europe and Asia.
The listing means Australians who join, recruit or fund the network will face prison terms of up to 25 years.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the listing was different to previous ones because of the way Terrorgram operated.
"If people imagine a big chat group dedicated to hatred and violence," he told ABC Radio on Friday.
"It's a situation where the members won't necessarily know each other. They won't necessarily know the people who they're recruiting."
Mr Burke said the group was a direct threat to the safety of Australians and had previously made threats.
The group encouraged not just the sharing of hatred but the sharing of acts of violence and how-to guides to enable people to commit acts of violence, he said.
"You never stop chasing these characters down ... this listing won't be the last thing we have to do against far-right supremacist groups."
Mr Burke said the nature of terrorist threats kept changing, particularly involving young males being radicalised online around the principle of violence.
"These sorts of groups try to tell a whole lot of Australians they're not welcome here," he said.
"They try to tell people they intend for them not be safe.
"We're saying 'no, no, no, it's the hatred and the bigotry and the violence that isn't welcome here'."
Mr Burke said the government was sending the message anyone who wanted to engage in Terrorgram faced serious criminal penalties.
In February, the neo-Nazi and white supremacist group was slapped with counter-terrorism financing sanctions as part of the federal government's crackdown on anti-Semitism.
Its channels share fascist content on how members can carry out racially-motivated violence against minority groups, police, public figures, political figures and journalists.
Announcing the financing sanctions, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said they made it a criminal offence to use or deal with the assets of, or make assets available to, Terrorgram.
Penalties include up to 10 years in prison and heavy fines.
It was the first time Australia had imposed counter-terrorism financing sanctions on an entirely online entity, Senator Wong said.
Terrorgram has operated on the Russian-founded social media site Telegram, aiming to inspire lone-wolf acts of terror.
In January, the US State Department branded Terrorgram a terrorist group.
The online far-right extremist network Terrorgram has been listed as a terrorist organisation, with members facing decades in jail if convicted of an offence.
The federal government says the group provides instructions on how to conduct terrorist attacks and has been responsible for inspiring terror events in the United States, Europe and Asia.
The listing means Australians who join, recruit or fund the network will face prison terms of up to 25 years.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the listing was different to previous ones because of the way Terrorgram operated.
"If people imagine a big chat group dedicated to hatred and violence," he told ABC Radio on Friday.
"It's a situation where the members won't necessarily know each other. They won't necessarily know the people who they're recruiting."
Mr Burke said the group was a direct threat to the safety of Australians and had previously made threats.
The group encouraged not just the sharing of hatred but the sharing of acts of violence and how-to guides to enable people to commit acts of violence, he said.
"You never stop chasing these characters down ... this listing won't be the last thing we have to do against far-right supremacist groups."
Mr Burke said the nature of terrorist threats kept changing, particularly involving young males being radicalised online around the principle of violence.
"These sorts of groups try to tell a whole lot of Australians they're not welcome here," he said.
"They try to tell people they intend for them not be safe.
"We're saying 'no, no, no, it's the hatred and the bigotry and the violence that isn't welcome here'."
Mr Burke said the government was sending the message anyone who wanted to engage in Terrorgram faced serious criminal penalties.
In February, the neo-Nazi and white supremacist group was slapped with counter-terrorism financing sanctions as part of the federal government's crackdown on anti-Semitism.
Its channels share fascist content on how members can carry out racially-motivated violence against minority groups, police, public figures, political figures and journalists.
Announcing the financing sanctions, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said they made it a criminal offence to use or deal with the assets of, or make assets available to, Terrorgram.
Penalties include up to 10 years in prison and heavy fines.
It was the first time Australia had imposed counter-terrorism financing sanctions on an entirely online entity, Senator Wong said.
Terrorgram has operated on the Russian-founded social media site Telegram, aiming to inspire lone-wolf acts of terror.
In January, the US State Department branded Terrorgram a terrorist group.
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Mr Minns criticised parliamentary "shenanigans" on Friday and said his focus was on supporting the people of NSW. Senior government staff have faced terse questions over the passage of anti-protest and hate speech laws after threats they could be arrested for refusing to front an inquiry. NSW Premier Chris Minns' chief of staff James Cullen, his deputies and two senior staff for Police Minister Yasmin Catley showed up on Friday after being summoned to appear earlier in June. The parliamentary inquiry is probing the swift introduction of laws in February after the discovery of a caravan at Dural, on Sydney's outskirts, containing explosives and a list of Jewish sites. Mr Minns and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese initially labelled the caravan incident a thwarted terror attack in late January when a media leak disclosed the earlier caravan find. But inquiry chair Rod Roberts on Friday criticised the terrorism label, saying it would have led to fear and consternation in the community. "I can't see how the premier standing in front of a press conference saying there is no other alternative to terrorism provided any calm to anybody," the independent MP said. It later emerged the caravan was thought to be part of what investigators labelled a "criminal con job" that was staged in an attempt to gain leverage with police. Senior NSW police told the inquiry in April they believed it was a ruse virtually from the outset. Controversial laws that passed parliament included curbs on the right to demonstrate near places of worship. But Mr Cullen, appearing frustrated and occasionally interrupting questions, repeatedly defended the premier's language about the caravan find. "This was not a line dreamt up by the premier," he told the committee inquiry in a tense exchange with Mr Roberts. "It was not a term thrown around lightly at all. "There's a very convenient rewriting of history and squashing of time and concepts." The three pieces of legislation were drafted during a 12-18 month period when there was a marked rise in anti-Semitic incidents, Mr Cullen said. "The relationship that's been constructed by some between the Dural caravan event and those three pieces of legislation is extremely ... unfair." They included graffiti and arson attacks on a synagogue, a preschool's fire-bombing and other incidents in areas with large Jewish populations, all of which had drawn widespread condemnation, he said. Mr Minns - who, along with the police minister, cannot be compelled to appear before the upper house - told reporters his perspective had been "well ventilated". Following news the staffers could face arrest, Mr Minns on Wednesday said they had been summoned to an inquiry that was "close to a kangaroo court". Mr Roberts had addressed five empty chairs a week earlier when the government staffers did not appear, prompting the drastic but legal step of threatening to arrest them. Mr Minns criticised parliamentary "shenanigans" on Friday and said his focus was on supporting the people of NSW. Senior government staff have faced terse questions over the passage of anti-protest and hate speech laws after threats they could be arrested for refusing to front an inquiry. NSW Premier Chris Minns' chief of staff James Cullen, his deputies and two senior staff for Police Minister Yasmin Catley showed up on Friday after being summoned to appear earlier in June. The parliamentary inquiry is probing the swift introduction of laws in February after the discovery of a caravan at Dural, on Sydney's outskirts, containing explosives and a list of Jewish sites. Mr Minns and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese initially labelled the caravan incident a thwarted terror attack in late January when a media leak disclosed the earlier caravan find. But inquiry chair Rod Roberts on Friday criticised the terrorism label, saying it would have led to fear and consternation in the community. "I can't see how the premier standing in front of a press conference saying there is no other alternative to terrorism provided any calm to anybody," the independent MP said. It later emerged the caravan was thought to be part of what investigators labelled a "criminal con job" that was staged in an attempt to gain leverage with police. Senior NSW police told the inquiry in April they believed it was a ruse virtually from the outset. Controversial laws that passed parliament included curbs on the right to demonstrate near places of worship. But Mr Cullen, appearing frustrated and occasionally interrupting questions, repeatedly defended the premier's language about the caravan find. "This was not a line dreamt up by the premier," he told the committee inquiry in a tense exchange with Mr Roberts. "It was not a term thrown around lightly at all. "There's a very convenient rewriting of history and squashing of time and concepts." The three pieces of legislation were drafted during a 12-18 month period when there was a marked rise in anti-Semitic incidents, Mr Cullen said. "The relationship that's been constructed by some between the Dural caravan event and those three pieces of legislation is extremely ... unfair." They included graffiti and arson attacks on a synagogue, a preschool's fire-bombing and other incidents in areas with large Jewish populations, all of which had drawn widespread condemnation, he said. Mr Minns - who, along with the police minister, cannot be compelled to appear before the upper house - told reporters his perspective had been "well ventilated". Following news the staffers could face arrest, Mr Minns on Wednesday said they had been summoned to an inquiry that was "close to a kangaroo court". Mr Roberts had addressed five empty chairs a week earlier when the government staffers did not appear, prompting the drastic but legal step of threatening to arrest them. Mr Minns criticised parliamentary "shenanigans" on Friday and said his focus was on supporting the people of NSW.
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'Subverting democracy': Liberal hits out at quota push
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"We absolutely agree on the importance of making sure we are attracting talented women, representatives from all of our communities across this great country to the Liberal Party," he told reporters in Canberra. "This is a top priority for the party, and we are in absolute, furious agreement on that. I mean there's been no ambiguity about my position on quotas for many, many years." Ms Ley said she was open to methods of how more women could be recruited to the party but stressed it had to take place after the bruising election defeat. "We must get more women in our ranks, preselected, in winnable seats in the lead up to the next election," she told Nine's Today program on Friday. "State divisions determine their own preselection policies and how they go about this, and I stand ready to work with them every step of the way to make sure we get the outcome that we all seek." Labor introduced gender quotas for federal parliament in 1994, with women making up more than half of government lower house MPs as of 2025. Mr Taylor said the party needed to try something new after the Liberals suffered their worst electoral performance since the 1940s. "We do have to rebuild from the last election. We've got to learn from what worked and what didn't work and clearly, there was a lot that didn't work, and we do have to get onto policy development earlier," he said. It comes as the Liberal party room met on Friday to discuss its internal review of its election drubbing. The review is being conducted by former NSW state minister Pru Goward and former federal finance Nick Minchin. The party room also met to discuss policy direction, with less than a month before federal parliament meets. A senior Liberal has doubled down on claims introducing gender quotas for female MPs would subvert democracy. 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"We absolutely agree on the importance of making sure we are attracting talented women, representatives from all of our communities across this great country to the Liberal Party," he told reporters in Canberra. "This is a top priority for the party, and we are in absolute, furious agreement on that. I mean there's been no ambiguity about my position on quotas for many, many years." Ms Ley said she was open to methods of how more women could be recruited to the party but stressed it had to take place after the bruising election defeat. "We must get more women in our ranks, preselected, in winnable seats in the lead up to the next election," she told Nine's Today program on Friday. "State divisions determine their own preselection policies and how they go about this, and I stand ready to work with them every step of the way to make sure we get the outcome that we all seek." Labor introduced gender quotas for federal parliament in 1994, with women making up more than half of government lower house MPs as of 2025. Mr Taylor said the party needed to try something new after the Liberals suffered their worst electoral performance since the 1940s. "We do have to rebuild from the last election. We've got to learn from what worked and what didn't work and clearly, there was a lot that didn't work, and we do have to get onto policy development earlier," he said. It comes as the Liberal party room met on Friday to discuss its internal review of its election drubbing. The review is being conducted by former NSW state minister Pru Goward and former federal finance Nick Minchin. The party room also met to discuss policy direction, with less than a month before federal parliament meets. A senior Liberal has doubled down on claims introducing gender quotas for female MPs would subvert democracy. Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor said while the Liberal Party needed more female representation in parliament following the party's bruising loss at the federal election, a quota was not the way to do it. "I have never been a supporter of quotas because I don't believe in subverting democratic processes," he told ABC Radio on Friday. "We want to make sure that we are representative of our communities in every single way, and that includes gender. I'm not a believer in subverting democracy." The comments come after Opposition Leader Sussan Ley used a speech at the National Press Club to urge for quotas for female MPs. Of the 28 Liberals elected to the House of Representatives at the May election, just six are women. When he was later asked to clarify his remarks, Mr Taylor denied he was undermining his leader. "We absolutely agree on the importance of making sure we are attracting talented women, representatives from all of our communities across this great country to the Liberal Party," he told reporters in Canberra. "This is a top priority for the party, and we are in absolute, furious agreement on that. I mean there's been no ambiguity about my position on quotas for many, many years." Ms Ley said she was open to methods of how more women could be recruited to the party but stressed it had to take place after the bruising election defeat. "We must get more women in our ranks, preselected, in winnable seats in the lead up to the next election," she told Nine's Today program on Friday. "State divisions determine their own preselection policies and how they go about this, and I stand ready to work with them every step of the way to make sure we get the outcome that we all seek." Labor introduced gender quotas for federal parliament in 1994, with women making up more than half of government lower house MPs as of 2025. Mr Taylor said the party needed to try something new after the Liberals suffered their worst electoral performance since the 1940s. "We do have to rebuild from the last election. We've got to learn from what worked and what didn't work and clearly, there was a lot that didn't work, and we do have to get onto policy development earlier," he said. It comes as the Liberal party room met on Friday to discuss its internal review of its election drubbing. The review is being conducted by former NSW state minister Pru Goward and former federal finance Nick Minchin. The party room also met to discuss policy direction, with less than a month before federal parliament meets. A senior Liberal has doubled down on claims introducing gender quotas for female MPs would subvert democracy. Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor said while the Liberal Party needed more female representation in parliament following the party's bruising loss at the federal election, a quota was not the way to do it. "I have never been a supporter of quotas because I don't believe in subverting democratic processes," he told ABC Radio on Friday. "We want to make sure that we are representative of our communities in every single way, and that includes gender. I'm not a believer in subverting democracy." The comments come after Opposition Leader Sussan Ley used a speech at the National Press Club to urge for quotas for female MPs. Of the 28 Liberals elected to the House of Representatives at the May election, just six are women. When he was later asked to clarify his remarks, Mr Taylor denied he was undermining his leader. "We absolutely agree on the importance of making sure we are attracting talented women, representatives from all of our communities across this great country to the Liberal Party," he told reporters in Canberra. "This is a top priority for the party, and we are in absolute, furious agreement on that. I mean there's been no ambiguity about my position on quotas for many, many years." Ms Ley said she was open to methods of how more women could be recruited to the party but stressed it had to take place after the bruising election defeat. "We must get more women in our ranks, preselected, in winnable seats in the lead up to the next election," she told Nine's Today program on Friday. "State divisions determine their own preselection policies and how they go about this, and I stand ready to work with them every step of the way to make sure we get the outcome that we all seek." Labor introduced gender quotas for federal parliament in 1994, with women making up more than half of government lower house MPs as of 2025. Mr Taylor said the party needed to try something new after the Liberals suffered their worst electoral performance since the 1940s. "We do have to rebuild from the last election. We've got to learn from what worked and what didn't work and clearly, there was a lot that didn't work, and we do have to get onto policy development earlier," he said. It comes as the Liberal party room met on Friday to discuss its internal review of its election drubbing. The review is being conducted by former NSW state minister Pru Goward and former federal finance Nick Minchin. The party room also met to discuss policy direction, with less than a month before federal parliament meets.
