Australian state lawmakers approve sweeping gun and protest laws after Bondi attack

LAWMAKERS IN THE Australian state New South Wales have approved sweeping laws cracking down on guns and giving authorities the power to ban protests following this month’s mass shooting on Bondi Beach.

Father and son Sajid and Naveed Akram are accused of targeting a Hanukkah event on Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing 15 people in what authorities have said was an antisemitic terrorist attack. The 14 December attack was the nation’s deadliest mass shooting in decades.

Today the Upper House in New South Wales, the state where the attack occurred, voted 18 to eight to pass the legislation.

The government of the state recalled its parliament to introduce what it called the “toughest firearm reforms in the country”.

The Bill, which was criticised by both progressives and conservatives, would approve a law on gun use and give authorities power to prohibit protests for up to three months following a terrorist incident.

Before the vote passed, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the attack on Bondi Beach shows that Australia needs more “guns off” their streets.

The legislation would also restrict protesting and give police the power to remove face coverings at public assemblies – which they are currently only allowed do if they believe an indictable offence is being committed.

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The restriction on protest activity caused particular controversy, with the Green Party abstaining from voting.

They said that although they wanted stronger gun laws, the proposals for protesting restrictions were an “assault on democratic rights.”

A broad coalition of groups has vowed a constitutional legal challenge to the anti-protest laws.

Palestine Action Group Sydney, one of those involved in the challenge, accused the state of having “pushed through legislation without due process, attacking our fundamental right to protest”.

It also accused the state of making “unsubstantiated and plainly dishonest links between antisemitism and the Palestine solidarity movement”.

Australia’s federal government is at the same time pushing for new laws creating an aggravated offence for hate preaching, penalties for those deemed to have sought to radicalise minors, and a new register of allegedly extremist groups it will become illegal to join.

It will also pay gun owners to surrender “surplus, newly banned and illegal firearms”.

It would be the largest gun buyback since 1996, when Australia cracked down on firearms following a shooting that killed 35 people at Port Arthur.

With additional reporting from AFP

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