By Emily Baker, ABC News
National Socialist Network member Thomas Sewell (C) leads his supporters during a "March for Australia" anti-immigration rally in Melbourne on August 31, 2025. Photo: AFP / WILLIAM WEST
Neo-Nazi group the National Socialist Network has announced it will disband in response to proposed new hate speech laws by the federal government.
In a statement posted to Telegram, the group announced the closure of the National Socialist Network would also spell the end of "co-projects" White Australia, the European Australian Movement and the White Australia Party.
"If the laws pass, there will [be] no way to avoid the organisation being banned," the statement said.
"This disbandment is being done before the laws take effect to avoid former members of the organisations from being arrested and charged."
The statement - which said the neo-Nazi groups would close down by 18 January - was signed by leader Thomas Sewell and other high-profile white nationalists.
The National Socialist Network announcement pre-empts the passing of legislation proposed by the federal government in the wake of the Bondi terror attack that killed 15 people and injured dozens of others.
The legislation, released to the public on Tuesday, would make it easier for the federal government to designate organisations as prohibited hate groups.
Under the proposed laws, it would then be a criminal offence to:
- Direct the activities of the group
- Be a member of the group
- Recruit for the group
- Provide, receive, or participate in training involving the group
- Get funds to, from or for the group
- Provide support to the group
- People who break the proposed laws would face up to 15 years in prison.
The federal parliament is expected to debate the proposed laws next week.
The announcement to disband will likely be viewed with scepticism by police and intelligence agencies.
The group had last year signalled an intent to form a political party and had planned a national meet-up to be held in Sydney later this month.
In November last year, about 60 men gathered outside the NSW parliament in a protest organised by the National Socialist Network.
'We don't want them'
NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley on Tuesday welcomed the decision to disband.
"If that's the case, good. Quite frankly, we don't want them on our streets either," she told ABC Radio Sydney.
"This is the time for our community to come together.
"We have seen on the 14th of December unimaginable scenes on our iconic beach, Bondi, and we as a government are totally committed to not seeing that again."
The National Socialist Network was one of two groups singled out by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke as targets of the proposed laws, which in part aim to eliminate dangerous hate groups.
The other group was Islamist organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir.
Matthew Gruter, one of the men to take part in the rally outside NSW parliament, had his visa revoked and left the country after the event.
In a separate incident, National Socialist Network member Joel Davis was arrested for allegedly inviting people to "rhetorically rape" Wentworth MP Allegra Spender.
Burke on Tuesday said fighting bigotry "never ends".
"Any day the neo-Nazis take a backward step is a good day," he said.
"The individuals will still try to find ways to spew hatred and we will keep deporting people and disbanding organisations that hate Australia."
On Monday, Burke said some organisations had "played a game for a long time in keeping themselves just below the legal threshold".
"They were called out last year by Mike Burgess, the director-general of ASIO, for the real harm they do to our national security.
"The two groups he called out specifically were the Nazis, the National Socialist Network, and Hizb ut-Tahrir.
"We have had enough of organisations that hate Australia, playing games with Australian law."
- ABC
