1 week ago
19
The federal government will significantly strengthen hate speech laws – including to target religious preachers – and create new powers to cancel or reject visas of people who spread “hate and division”, in a major escalation of its response to the mass shooting in Bondi.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, unveiled the measures on Thursday after days of intensifying pressure to do more to stamp out anti-Jewish hate following Sunday’s terrorist attack on a Hanukah celebration. It came as mourners gathered in Sydney for the funeral of 10-year-old Matilda – the youngest of the 15 victims.
The prime minister conceded he could have done more to combat antisemitism in Australia in the aftermath of Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October 2023.
“Look, of course more could have always been done. Governments aren’t perfect. I’m not perfect,” he said.
Albanese, who convened the national security committee on Thursday morning, said the government “adopts and fully supports” Jillian Segal’s plan to combat antisemitism.
Sign up: AU Breaking News email
However, a document outlining the new plan only says the government would “work through” the implementation of the 13 recommendations.
The prime minister’s focus on tightening gun control laws in the immediate aftermath of Sunday’s shooting has prompted claims, including from former Liberal prime minister John Howard, that he was attempting to distract from a failure to properly respond to a rise in antisemitism.
The plan announced on Thursday include an aggravated hate speech offence for preachers and leaders who promote violence, increased penalties for hate speech promoting violence and making hate an aggravating factor in sentencing crimes for online threats and harassment.
It would also include developing a regime for listing organisations whose leaders engage in hate speech, promoting violence or racial hatred, and developing a narrow federal offence for serious vilification based on race or advocating racial supremacy, he said.
The changes would broaden the hate speech laws that passed federal parliament earlier this year, which created a new criminal offence for encouraging violence against specific groups.
The government originally intended to include anti-vilification provisions in the bill, before it was dropped amid push back from faith groups.
Albanese did not rule out recalling parliament over summer to debate the new laws, although he was conscious the “complex” changes needed to be drafted properly to withstand legal challenge.
He also wanted to secure “broad support across the parliament”.
Authorities have alleged the shooting at Bondi – Australia’s worst ever terrorist attack – appears to have been inspired by Islamic State.
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, said the new laws would lower the threshold to prosecute hate speech, adding individuals and organisations could currently “go right to the limits of the law” without breaking it.
“There have been organisations which any Australian would look at and say, their behaviour, their philosophy and what they are trying to do is about division and has no place in Australia,” Burke said.
“And yet, for a generation, no government has been able to successfully take action against them because they have fallen just below the legal threshold. Today, we’re announcing that we’re shifting the threshold.”
The federal police commissioner, Krissy Barrett, revealed “hate preachers” were already on their radar.
Albanese acknowledged Australia had witnessed an increase in antisemitism since 7 October 2023, which “culminated on Sunday in one of the worst acts of mass murder that this country has ever seen”.
“It was an attack on our Jewish community – but it was also an attack on the Australian way of life. Australians are shocked and angry. I am angry. It is clear we need to do more to combat this evil scourge, much more,” he said.
In a separate measures announced by the education minister, Jason Clare, business leader David Gonski would chair a taskforce to tackle antisemitism across the education system.
“Children aren’t born antisemitic. Children aren’t born racist. Children aren’t born with hate in their hearts. This is something that’s taught. This is something that’s learned,” Clare said.
The eSafety commissioner, Segal and the federal communication department will also develop advice on addressing antisemitism online.
