Inquiry into extremism in Victoria

That the Legal and Social Issues Committee to inquire into, consider and report, by 31 May 2022, on the following —

a. the rise of the far-right extremist movements in Victoria in the context of —

i. social isolation and growing economic insecurity;

ii. racist scapegoating;

iii. the role of mainstream and social media;

iv. the distrust of governments and politicians;

b. their methods of recruitment and communication;

c. how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the growth of far-right extremism in the Victorian context;

d. the risks their plans and actions pose to Victoria and especially to Victoria’s multicultural communities;

e. the violent potential of these movements, including the potential for targeted violence against politicians and public figures;

f. the links between far-right extremist groups, other forms of extremism, and populist radical right and anti-vaccine misinformation groups;

g. what steps need to be taken in Victoria to counter these far-right extremist groups and their influence, including, but not limited to consideration of —

i. the role of early intervention measures to diminish the recruitment and mobilisation prospects of far-right extremist groups;

ii. the role of social cohesion, greater civil engagement and empowerment, and community building programs;

iii. the submissions made to and, when tabled, the report by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security’s Inquiry into extremist movements and radicalism in Australia; and

h. any other related matters.