I make no pretense to interpret the new laws but simply post this item for consideration. How ‘could’ it affect modelling?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-11/nsw-second-state-to-ban-swastika/101325940
Note the following - “The ban allows the swastika to be used when it’s in the public interest, including in academic, historical and educational settings” Does ‘modelling’ get covered be this clause?
You’d assume the historical category would be apt, but I’m not a lawyer either, so…
I am sure there will be a dip in WW2 German equipment/figures if not banned at any local contests out of an abundance of caution in the area.
This can came from contest committee not wanting to have to deal with it, to insurance underwriters not wanting to have to deal with it, to the event location not wanting to have to deal with it and/or some combination of the three. While it might appear the law carves out a spot for it, people are Karen’s/Kevin’s and the 3 bodies mentioned before might not want to do deal with those headaches.
A lot of their armor,vehicles,artillery,didnt display a swatiska,so it can be avoided without compromising their accuracy in many cases,although some units included it in their badges,ie Afrika Corps
I agree to a point but the bill says Nazi symbols not just the one.
https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/bills/Pages/bill-details.aspx?pk=3987
Again the law does carve out a space that I think can reasonable be applied to our craft but people will be people and some will not want to risk the headaches when doing a show.
That sounds like it means some interesting times are coming for those radical folks that have Nazi tattoos and display them in public.
Depending on the venue hosting the model content, the models with Nazi related insignia might have to be sequestered in a room only open to the judges and interest parties willing to view in a historical context so the insignia isn’t publicly exposed.
We have a similar law since 1978. If you declare your show as historical context and put up some disclaimer, no one does care. The REAL problem is that you can ban the insignias of Ideology, but can ban the ideology itself.
These little bites taken out of life, cleverly camouflaged/disguised as censorship, does seem to be infecting this hobby. It happens here as well through a term called 'tolerance creep". A little bit here, a little bit there, and the next thing you know, your post was banned/censored. I’ve been witnessing this tolerance creep in modeling over the last 30 years or so. While such common displays in modeling are taken for granted historically, I fear we’re approaching prejudiced view of a few others determined to destroy even a hobby…and relegate some categories to a closed-door room, and eventually an eliminated category altogether. When that happens, then the breakdown of tolerance is revealed, then the death knell of this hobby might be ringing. Contest will no longer take place and/or categories eliminated due to offended feelings. Do we then ban an ISIS symbol from a Middle East diorama, or the Confederate flag from a Gettysburg display? Ban a Pride flag from a street scene? If we’re now all of a sudden worried about symbols, and successfully banned all the ones not liked, will attention eventually turn to banning figures that reveal too much skin?? Even the American flag has come under the umbrella of censorship in some venues. My over 50 years of modeling, and judging IPMS/AMPS Nationals, I will not allow any form of censorship to alter my judging, of any deemed offensive object! My 22 years of Military, sometimes violent, service…also will NOT allow censorship.
The law, Bill 2022-08-11 bans swastika’s and Nazi symbols. That is very broad, and theoretically could include the use of the German WWll national insignia “Iron Cross” (which is different from their modern Iron Cross) and displayed on every vehicle, and aircraft. 
BTW; the Swastika is a very ancient good luck symbol and can be found in art, and pottery shards from prehistoric Britain to Asia, and can still be commonly found in Oriental art and design. Will some “Kevin/Karen” object to that?
Most of these Kevin/Karens I’ve encountered seems to be the highest uneducated, having flunked multiple courses in history. They WILL object.
Yeah…they’re the kind of people a certain ex-president loves! 
That contest/display would end up with little to no attendance. Place those restrictions, you just killed your purpose of having a contest/display of, GOD forbid, HISTORY.
Sanitized history is the denial (and absence) of history.
You can’t teach the evils of what you are forbidden to discuss.
I agree. I don’t have an issue showing German items etc at a contest but the poster asked about how it could impact the hobby. Running a number of contests, dealing with a facilities rules is where one could run in to an issue. We have run contests at a school/college and other places in talks, these things come up in the discussions before renting the facility.
Ill be interested to see how the History channel approaches the subject. As long as a show declares a “history” aspect I see no issues.
Now what about modelling sites such as Facebook? Will they nolonger allow any images that may be seen in this jurisdiction? Who makes the call?
Here’s the actual text of the legislation’s exemptions:
“Also, without limiting subsection (1), a reasonable excuse includes the display of a Nazi symbol done reasonably and in good faith— (a) for an academic, artistic or educational purpose, or (b) for another purpose in the public interest.”
This legislation just passed into law here in the state of New South Wales is specifically aimed at banning public displays of “Nazi symbols”, such as flags. There is only one Nazi symbol, although technically the SS runes represented a military force whose commander-in-chief was the head of the Nazi party. I don’t believe the balkankreuz was a specifically Nazi symbol because (I think I’m right in saying) it was also used pre-1933 for all German armed forces, so that’s probably exempt.
As others have said the swastika’s allowable use for academic, artistic or educational purposes should easily cover scale models (even when displayed at Shows) for all three reasons. It certainly doesn’t represent the End of the World as we know it, I imagine NSW is just one of the few governmental jurisdictions left which had no specific law to prevent neo-Nazis marching through town waving swastika flags.
You are going to have to consider the political leanings of the people who past such archaic laws to begin with. Don’t even think that once a ‘Karen’ gathers information about your contest that chances are the law can be interpreted any way THEY wish it.
As for Faceless, or Twitless, default to the side of censorship in banning your German modeling work(s)…before you think about posting a pic.
It almost makes me want to join some of those platforms just to see how far i can go with my builds.
Nah,not even the prospect of tormenting them could get me to join up.
Reading this text of the law clears it up. As you said, models are covered under all 3 exceptions. You bring up a good point about how really, only one (or two, if counting the SS) symbol is officially a Nazi symbol. Does the law go on to describe what it counts as “Nazi symbols”?