Australia's parliament has voted for sweeping gun law reforms and a crackdown on hate speech, a month after two attackers shot 15 people dead at a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach.
Both bills passed the House of Representatives and Senate at a special sitting late on Tuesday. The gun reform measures include a national gun buyback scheme and new checks on firearm licence applications.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke stated that the Bondi gunmen would not legally have had access to firearms if such laws had existed prior to the attack, the country's worst mass shooting in decades.
Following immense pressure on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to enhance safety measures, politicians convened early to address the legislation. Burke highlighted that individuals with hate in their hearts and guns in their hands were responsible for the tragic December 14 attack.
The legislation's passage comes as a significant governmental response, with reforms including stricter firearm import controls and enhanced information sharing among intelligence agencies concerning gun licence applications. The buyback initiative seeks to reduce the estimated four million registered firearms in Australia, a figure that has increased since the notorious Port Arthur massacre in 1996.
The anti-hate speech reforms, originally part of a larger bill, faced scrutiny over concerns about free speech and definitions of hate speech. However, an agreement was reached between the Labor government and the Liberal Party, streamlining the legislation while addressing critics' concerns. Provisions are included to ban groups promoting hate and impose stricter penalties on individuals advocating violence, subject to biannual reviews.
The recent mass shooting incident has amplified fears of antisemitism within the Jewish community, galvanizing Parliament's swift legislative action to prevent further violence and promote public safety.
