Victoria has become the first state of Australia that will prohibit the use and public displays of swastikas and other Nazi symbols, multiple news sources reported on Thursday.
The use of these symbols will be outlawed in the state with the exception of historical or educational purposes.
The law is expected to receive bipartisan support at the state parliament.
Last month, it was reported that dozens of Nazi items were up for auction on an Australian site, including a hand-embroidered retired Nazi officer shoulder patch and an SS officers tunic.
Jaclyn Symes, Victoria's state attorney-general, said that the ban on Nazi imagery would send Victoria's population "a strong signal."
David Southwick, a member of the Victorian Parliament for Caulfield, said that "a couple of years ago we saw a swastika painted on an aged care retirement home full of Holocaust survivors… and it’s not just an issue for the Jewish community, it’s right across the board."
Legislation to prohibit hateful symbols is expected to be passed in early 2022.
This is in response to the recent rise of Neo-Nazi activity in the area. One example includes an incident last year where a woman was flying a Nazi flag that featured a swastika symbol in the front yard of her home. However, at the time, there was no law that prohibited the flag from staying up.
"New codes and symbols are continually being developed by hate groups and the legislation will need to be flexible enough to capture this," said Peter Wertheim, the co-chief executive officer of peak Jewish body the Australian Jewry Executive Council.
Dvir Abramovich, chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission said that the decision made by the Victorian parliament is "a day for the history book, a joyful and profound moment."
Henry Benjamin/JTA and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.