Australia ‘will heed threat warning’
Head of intelligence committee said the government is taking the growing far-right menace 'extremely seriously', especially in wake of the Christchurch mosque massacre in 2019.
![Senator James Paterson (second from left) with Liberal MPs David Southwick and Tim Wilson. Photo: Facebook Senator James Paterson (second from left) with Liberal MPs David Southwick and Tim Wilson. Photo: Facebook](https://static.timesofisrael.com/ajn/uploads/2021/02/106133740_2926909720909954_4514930263360458982_o-640x400.jpg)
THE new head of Australia’s parliamentary intelligence committee has said the country’s security services are taking the growing far-right threat “extremely seriously”.
James Paterson was the latest politician to express concern about the rising neo-Nazi phenomenon in some parts of Australia and said the “horrific” terrorist attack against mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, should serve as a warning.
Paterson, who was recently appointed to head the powerful committee, said Australia “must ensure that violent extremism does not take hold … You only have to look around the world to see other countries are grappling with this problem”.
He said there were “lessons to be learned” from Christchurch, adding: “I think Australians were deeply shocked by it.
“It had a big impact on our psyche at the time, because it was such a horrific crime and because it was broadcast and it was very visible and because it occurred at a near neighbour.”
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