Australia has listed white supremacist group The Base as a terrorist organisation, making it a criminal offence to be a member.
Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews described The Base as “a violent, racist and neo-Nazi organisation” known to be planning attacks in several nations.
The entirety of Hezbollah — a Shia Islamist militant group based in Lebanon but active abroad — will also be listed as a terrorist organisation.
Earlier this year, the ABC revealed The Base was actively targeting men as young as 17 for recruitment in Australia.
The far-right group was already designated a terrorist organisation in Canada and the United Kingdom.
Australia’s domestic intelligence agency, ASIO, has warned right-wing extremists such as members of The Base now account for one-third of its investigations.
In March Australia listed an extreme right-wing organisation for the first time, when it designated UK-based neo-Nazi group Sonnenkrieg Division a terrorist organisation.
Ms Andrews said Australia’s terror threat would remain “probable” but indicated an attack would become more likely as the nation’s borders opened.
“That means that we have credible intelligence that there are individuals with the capability and the intent to conduct a terrorist attack here in Australia,” Ms Andrews said.
The government’s bipartisan committee on intelligence and security has also recommended the entirety of Palestinian group Hamas be listed as a terror organisation.
