Anthony Albanese has recalled parliament early to deal with sweeping hate speech and gun laws in the wake of the Bondi terror attack.
The prime minister announced in Canberra the government would introduce omnibus legislation that would designate hate crime a “serious” offence and set up a national gun buyback scheme.
“The terrorists at Bondi Beach had hatred in their minds but guns in their hands. This law will deal with both and we need to deal with both,” Mr Albanese said.
The federal government has been consulting on proposed changes to strengthen hate speech laws, including creating a regime for listing so-called hate organisations.
The laws will expand the ban on prohibited symbols and make it easier for the home affairs minister to cancel a visa.
The new laws will establish a gun buyback scheme. (ABC News: Joel Wilson)
Under the laws, to be introduced to parliament next Monday, the home affairs minister will be given the power to list organisations as ‘prohibited hate groups’.
People will be barred from joining, supporting, recruiting, fundraising for and receiving funds from the prescribed groups.
If passed, the legislation will also create a new offence for inciting hatred in order to intimidate or harass.
“We want to ensure that Australia remains a society where everyone has the right to be proud of who they are and we also want to make it clear that conduct which is hateful, dangerous, and divisive will also be illegal,” the prime minister said.
“Just as antisemitism and racism are an offence against our Australian values, they should be an offence against Australian law.”Coalition concerned hate speech, gun laws will be wrapped together
Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said, once passed, the legislation will be the toughest hate speech laws “ever seen” in Australia.
“They will specifically target those who seek to spread hatred and disrupt social cohesion in our community. And it will send a clear message that this conduct will not be tolerated,” Ms Rowland said.
Sussan Ley says the Coalition is concerned gun and hate speech reforms will be wrapped into a single bill. (ABC News)
The changes to gun and hate speech laws will be introduced to parliament as a single bill, which the Coalition has flagged as a concern.
“We are deeply sceptical of the prime minister’s decision to introduce a single bill that will attempt to cover multiple complex and unrelated policy areas,” Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said.
Mr Albanese last week announced a national royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion, tasked with examining the circumstances surrounding the Bondi terror attack and a range of other issues.
The inquiry will be lead by former High Court justice Virginia Bell.
A long-term test of Albanese’s leadership
A national gun buyback scheme will also be established under the reforms, which the Commonwealth has committed to fund 50-50 with the states and territories by July 1.
Asked if the federal government still intended to split the cost with states and territories, Mr Albanese said he would let states “speak for themselves”.
The prime minister said the government had crafted the legislation so that it could withstand a legal challenge, which he said the Commonwealth would “vigorously defend”.
He said he hoped the legislation would be passed through the parliament “efficiently and quickly” with the support of the entire parliament.
The bill will be referred to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security for scrutiny.