Australian politicians yesterday voted in favor of tougher hate crime and gun laws, weeks after gunmen targeting Jewish people on Bondi Beach killed 15 people.
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives backed the legislation in response to the Dec. 14 shooting at the famous Sydney beach.
Sajid Akram and his son, Naveed, allegedly targeted a Jewish Hanukkah celebration in the nation’s worst mass shooting in 30 years.
Photo: AAP / Mick Tsikas via Reuters
The attack has sparked national soul-searching about anti-Semitism, anger over the failure to shield Jewish Australians from harm and promises to protect the nation with stiffer legislation.
Both bills passed the House, and the firearms bill had been passed by the Senate by late yesterday. The anti-hate speech bill is expected to pass into law today.
“The terrorists had hate in their hearts, but they also had high-powered rifles in their hands,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told parliament.
“We’re taking action on both — tackling anti-Semitism, tackling hate, and getting dangerous guns off our streets.”
Legislative reforms on guns and hate speech were voted on separately.
The hate speech legislation would toughen laws and penalties for people seeking to spread hate and radicalization, or to promote violence.
It creates aggravated offenses for offenders who are preachers, other leaders or adults seeking to radicalize children.
The reform would also make it easier to reject or cancel visas for people suspected of terrorism or espousing hatred on the basis of race, color or origin.
On firearms, Australia would set up a national gun buyback scheme, tighten rules on imports of firearms and expand background checks for gun permits to allow input from the intelligence services.
The legislation was debated in a special session of parliament, ahead of a day of mourning tomorrow for the Bondi Beach victims.
Sajid Akram, 50, was shot and killed by police during the Bondi Beach attack. An Indian national, he entered Australia on a visa in 1998.
His 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram, an Australian-born citizen who remains in prison, has been charged with terrorism and 15 murders.
Police and intelligence agencies are facing difficult questions about whether they could have acted earlier.
Naveed Akram was flagged by Australia’s intelligence agency in 2019, but he slipped off the radar after it was decided that he posed no imminent threat.