Fresh push as neo Nazi to exit jail

A neo Nazi nearing the end of his jail term is contesting the state’s application for an extended supervision order, setting up a showdown over if he should remain under close watch after his lengthy prison stint.

Duncan Robert Cromb appeared before South Australian Chief Justice Chris Kourakis via videolink from jail on Tuesday, where his defence counsel, Rachael Shaw, formally contested the supervision order.

Cromb is serving a two-year and six-month sentence for possessing documents and records of information for terrorist acts, with the term set to expire in September.

The police raided Cromb’s unit in 2021, which he shared with fellow National Socialist Network members Jackson Trevor Pay and Cameron Brodie-Hall.

Cromb and Pay both pleaded guilty to possessing extremist material and were sentenced to jail terms.

The police also charged Mr Brodie-Hall with possessing extremist material, but he contested the charges in court and he was acquitted of the allegations after a trial in the District Court in 2024.

Cromb appeared in a prison jumper, sported a cropped haircut and sat silently throughout proceedings.

Justice Kourakis listed August 12 for arguments into the state’s supervision request.

A supervision order imposes a set of conditions on a released prisoner, for example restricting movements within the community or access to electronic material.

The showdown comes amid a growing swell of Nazi gatherings in Australia.

On Australia Day, men in balaclavas with the National Socialist Network were stopped by police at a train station in North Sydney.

The police again broke up meetings of the fascist group at North Turramurra on Saturday evening and Artarmon on Sunday morning.

State legislatures across the country are also moving to tighten laws against the display of Nazi symbols and gestures.

South Australian Attorney-General Kyam Maher introduced legislation to parliament in November 2023 to specifically prohibit public displays of swastikas or the Nazi salute, with fines of up to $20,000 or one year in jail for the offences.

“We have seen increased activity from the neo-Nazi movement around the country which is totally unacceptable,” Mr Maher said.

“This Bill will impose tough new penalties on those who seek to promote this abhorrent ideology and give the police the powers they need to ensure prohibited symbols are swiftly removed.”

The new law contains protections for innocent uses of Nazi symbols, including their good faith use in academia, education and the arts.