NSW government moves to ban public display of IRGC and Hizb ut-Tahrir symbols
“There is no place in NSW for hateful, extremist conduct,” State Attorney General Michael Daley said.
The New South Wales Government will introduce legislation today to criminalise the public display of symbols linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Islamist organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir.
Protest supporting Hizb ut-Tahrir in Denmark (Wikimedia)
The move is aimed at closing gaps in existing laws. It will also strengthen enforcement against extremist conduct.
Attorney General Michael Daley said the reforms were designed to address loopholes that had allowed symbols associated with newly designated groups to fall outside current offences.
“There is no place in our state for hateful or extremist behaviour,” Daley said. “These laws give police clearer powers to act against those who promote or display symbols linked to organisations that threaten social cohesion and public safety.”
NSW Attorney General Michael Daley during Question Time in the Legislative Assembly, September 19, 2023. (AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi)
The legislation will bring New South Wales law into line with recent Commonwealth designations, ensuring symbols linked to both organisations are explicitly captured under state offences.
Under the proposed changes, displaying IRGC or Hizb ut-Tahrir symbols in public without a reasonable excuse would carry penalties of up to two years’ imprisonment, a $22,000 fine, or both. Corporations could face fines of up to $110,000.
Exemptions would apply for legitimate purposes including academic, artistic and public interest contexts. Police would also be given expanded powers to order the removal of such symbols from public places or online platforms, with failure to comply punishable by up to three months’ imprisonment or a $2,200 fine.
The Australian Government separately designated the IRGC under national security settings in November 2025 after intelligence assessments linked it to alleged activity targeting Jewish communities in Sydney and Melbourne. A parliamentary review of that designation was completed in March 2026.
Hizb ut-Tahrir, which advocates for a global caliphate, is already banned in several countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Egypt and Pakistan, while the IRGC has long been accused by Western governments of supporting proxy militias across the Middle East.
The bill is expected to be debated in the coming weeks, and the government is signalling that it should take effect soon after passage to allow for swift enforcement.
The reforms reflect a broader bipartisan push across Australian governments to clamp down on extremist symbols while maintaining protections for legitimate research, journalism and historical expression.
Police have been briefed on the changes, and a public information campaign is expected to accompany the rollout of the new laws.
