Hate symbol and terrorism offences will be punishable in Australia with a mandatory sentence of prisonment of one to six years.

Under the amendments, the use of hate symbols or Nazi salutes is now punishable by at least one year in prison.

Financing terrorism is punishable by three years’ imprisonment and committing or planning terrorist acts is punishable by six years’ imprisonment.

Nazi saluting and the use of Nazi symbols, such as the swastika, have been banned from January 2024 and carry a penalty of up to one year in prison. The amendments make the prison sentence mandatory.

The amendment to the legal framework has been prompted by a wave of anti-Semitic attacks that have opened up a major debate in the country.

A recent incident involved the burning of a nursery near a Jewish school and synagogue in Sydney and the display of anti-Semitic slogans. In December, a synagogue in Melbourne was torched while worshippers were inside. No one was seriously injured in the incident, which caused shock in the country, the BBC says.

Although the government says Australia now has the toughest hate crime laws ever, critics say the ruling Labor Party is caving into opposition demands and going against its policy against mandatory prison sentences.

Labor opposes mandatory sentences because they do not reduce crime, undermine the independence of the courts ,and are often discriminatory.