It is vital that our laws target terrorist acts, terrorist organisations and foreign state entities that seek to undermine our safety, security and social cohesion through state-sponsored terrorism. This allows for an effective counter-terrorism regime.
In 2025, the Australian Government passed the
Criminal Code Amendment (State Sponsors of Terrorism) Act 2025. This enables the Australian Government to list a foreign state entity as a state sponsor of terrorism where they have directly or indirectly engaged in, or supported or advocated for, the doing of terrorist acts targeted at Australia.
The legislation also introduced several criminal offences under the
Criminal Code (the Criminal Code), mirroring those that exist for terrorism and in relation to terrorist organisations. These new offences criminalise actions of state sponsors of terrorism, their proxies and those who support them. This includes engaging in and making preparations for a state terrorist act targeted at Australia, and criminalising certain interactions with state sponsors of terrorism. This can include being a member of those entities and providing them support or training.
More information is available at Laws to combat terrorism.
Under section 110.3 of the
Criminal Code, a state sponsor of terrorism is only an entity that has been listed as one by the Australian Government.
Regulations listing terrorist organisations continue indefinitely, unless there is a decision by the Australian Federal Police Minister.
State sponsors of terrorism
There is 1 foreign state entity currently listed as a state sponsor of terrorism under the Criminal Code.
