Key Points
- The gesture follows widespread outrage sparked by an anti-transgender rights rally in Melbourne.
- Tasmania's government has joined Victoria in a push to ban the Nazi salute.
- Federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus told parliament there was no place in Australia for such displays.
The trans flag will fly above the offices of the Victorian government with Premier Daniel Andrews saying "we'll always respect you".
In a tweet on Tuesday he said there was "a new flag flying outside the offices of the Victorian government", in a show of solidarity with the LGBTIQ+ community.
"Because we'll always respect you. And we'll always have your back," his tweet read, along with a video of the blue and pink Progress flag being hoisted up a flagpole.
The gesture follows widespread outrage sparked by an anti-transgender rights rally in the capital Melbourne on Saturday on the steps of the parliament, where around 30 men dressed in black performed Nazi salutes.
Mr Andrews said the rally - where UK anti-transgender activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull spoke - was "nasty, hateful" before anyone used the Nazi salute.
Transgender rights demonstrators are seen during a protest against an event by anti-transgender activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull in Hobart, on Tuesday, 21 March 2023. Source: AAP / Ethan James
- Ms Keen-Minshull visited Hobart on Tuesday, where hundreds of pro-transgender rights supporters drowned out her speaking event on the steps of the state parliament house.
- Tasmania's government has joined Victoria in a push to ban the Nazi salute
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Nova Melbourne "there is no place in Australia for Nazi salutes"
At Ms Keen-Minshull's rally in Hobart, scuffles and pushing and shoving broke out, forcing police to separate the two groups.
Ms Keen-Minshull told the crowd of a few dozen supporters it was the worst place she had ever been to.
Tasmania looks to ban Nazi salute
Tasmania's Liberal government on Tuesday announced plans to introduce laws to ban the Nazi salute.
They are aiming to include the ban as part of legislation that criminalises the public display of Nazi symbols, which was coincidentally set to be debated this week.
It comes a day after the Victorian government committed to banning the salute.
Mr Andrews said the process would be complex and the government would carefully draft the bill.
"There are some other jurisdictions, some European countries who have successfully been able to do this," he told reporters.
"We'll look to all of them and make sure that we do this in the most practical and meaningful way, and try and do it in a way that it can't be challenged in the courts."
Equality Tasmania and the state's Labor opposition and Greens have backed the salute ban.
"LGBTIQA+ Tasmanians have been subject to Nazi-branded hate for many years, including during the marriage postal survey," Equality Tasmania president Rodney Croome said.
Tasmania's Attorney-General Elise Archer said it was "deeply concerning" to see the abhorrent actions of protesters in Melbourne.
"The use of the Nazi salute is offensive, distressing and a breach of our community and moral standards," she said.
"I want everyone in our community to feel safe from these disturbing displays whether it be Nazi symbols or saluting, as they can cause hate and fear."
Federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus told parliament there was no place in Australia for such displays.
"These are markers of some of the darkest days in world history, of ghettos, of deportations, and mass murder that touched my own family," he said.
"Six million Jews perished in the Holocaust. We must never ever forget. And thousands of Australian service men and women died fighting the Nazi regime."
Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said he joined the attorney-general in condemning "any use of Nazi symbols of the salute, of any glorification of that period of history".
The Victorian government is expected to soon respond to a parliamentary inquiry report tabled in August that found neo-nazism and other far-right extremist ideologies are a growing threat in the state.
In question time on Tuesday, state Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes said action was being taken on the report's recommendations.
"We've got consultation papers that will be going out soon in relation to (the salute) and I think it'll pick up a lot of ... the work that you've identified from the committee, from this place, in relation to extremism," she said.
