Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the Australian government will separate proposed gun control laws from a contentious hate speech bill, following the Bondi Junction terror attack. The move comes after it became clear the racial vilification provisions lacked the necessary support in the Senate.
Legislative Deadlock Forces Split
Ahead of a special two-day sitting of parliament, the Prime Minister conceded that the planned hate speech laws, designed in response to the attack on a Jewish Hanukkah celebration in Sydney last December, would not pass. Opposition from both the Coalition and the Greens left the bill with no viable pathway forward.
However, Greens leader Larissa Waters indicated her party would support stricter measures on firearms. In response, Albanese agreed to decouple the issues. The government will not proceed with the anti-vilification laws in their current form, but will introduce a standalone bill focusing on gun control.
New Gun Laws and National Security Measures
The new firearms legislation, set to be introduced on Tuesday, represents the most significant tightening of gun laws in decades. Key measures include establishing a national gun buy-back scheme, the largest since the Port Arthur massacre, and cracking down on the importation of dangerous weapons.
It will also create new criminal offences for online material related to manufacturing firearms and explosives. Furthermore, intelligence agencies like ASIO will be mandated to conduct criminal background checks on individuals applying for a gun licence.
In a separate move, Labor will attempt to pass laws granting the government powers to ban extremist hate groups, such as neo-Nazi organisations and Hizb ut-Tahrir, and to revoke visas for people with extremist views seeking to enter Australia.
Political Blame Game Intensifies
The Prime Minister placed the blame for the collapse of the hate speech laws squarely on the Coalition and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, accusing them of blocking legislation they had previously demanded. "The opposition is so obsessed with opposing things, they’ve now started opposing themselves," Albanese stated.
He suggested internal Liberal Party divisions and a looming leadership contest were driving the Coalition's stance. While the Greens will support the gun control bill, the Coalition has signalled opposition to tougher ownership rules. A spokesperson for Sussan Ley countered, blaming Labor for a lack of consultation and claiming any failure would be "Labor’s outcome and Labor’s alone".
Larissa Waters called for the government to start afresh on hate speech laws, arguing the tight timeframe for the special sitting prevented the thorough negotiation and legal analysis required for effective legislation.
