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Australia has unveiled sweeping new hate speech legislation in the wake of the terror attack on Bondi Beach, strengthening authorities’ hand in combating antisemitism and extremism.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday announced the measures, which would raise penalties for hate speech and are aimed at prosecuting preachers and leaders of groups that promote violence. The measures would also make it easier for Australia to cancel or refuse visas to those found to be spreading hate.
“Australians are shocked and angry. I am angry. It is clear we need to do more to combat this evil scourge, much more,” Albanese said of antisemitism in Australia. “We’re shifting the threshold. We have no time for organisations where their mission is to hate Australia and to hate fellow Australians.”
The government has already proposed tighter gun laws in the wake of the attack on Sunday, in which two gunmen opened fire on a Jewish community event at Bondi Beach, killing 15 and injuring 49 people.
Officials have named the suspected gunmen as Sajid and Naveed Akram, who they said appeared to have been was inspired by Isis.
Sajid, 50, died at the scene of the attack. Naveed, 24, was formally arrested on Wednesday and charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder and one of terrorism.
Mourners in Sydney gathered on Thursday for the funeral of the youngest victim of the attack, aged 10.
The new measures would introduce an aggravated hate speech offence, as well as consideration of hate speech in sentencing of crimes related to online harassment. They would also create a federal offence of “serious vilification based on race and/or advocating racial supremacy”.
The government said it would give the home affairs office more power to cancel or reject visas for those who “spread hate and division in this country, or would do so if they were allowed to come here”.
The laws are likely to be implemented in the new year following consultation. Albanese said he was open to recalling parliament if there was bipartisan support for the changes.
Krissy Barrett, Australia’s federal police commissioner, welcomed the move to lower the threshold for prosecuting individuals or organisations for racial vilification. She the police were already investigating a number of “hate preachers”.
Naveed Akram had been examined by Australia’s intelligence services in 2019 due to his association with an investigation but was deemed not to be of a direct threat.
Albanese has faced criticism of his government’s record on antisemitism from Jewish leaders and the opposition Liberal party, including that he has not done enough to protect the community after warnings from intelligence services that an attack could take place.
Josh Frydenberg, the former Treasurer and chair of Goldman Sachs Australia, said on Wednesday that hate speech had been allowed to “flourish” in the past two years. “Our prime minister, our government, has allowed Australia to be radicalised on his watch,” he said.
Albanese noted that his government had already introduced hate speech laws, including a ban on the Nazi salute, but conceded that more action should have been taken.
He also said the administration would “work through” implementing the recommendations of an antisemitism envoy’s plan to tackle hate speech, which was delivered in July.
“I of course acknowledge that more could have been done, and I accept my responsibility for my part in that,” he said.