Australia’s politicians have fast-tracked reforms to toughen gun control and hate crime laws in response to December’s Bondi Beach shooting.
The House of Representatives met in a special session to vote for a national gun buyback scheme, tighter background checks for firearms licences and tougher penalties for those spreading hate.
The legislation will now go to the Senate for debate, but is expected to pass, despite some opposition.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke described the reforms as targeting people with “hate in their hearts and guns in their hands”.
Police allege that the father and son involved in the 14 December shooting that killed 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration were inspired by the Islamic State militant group.
Naveed Akram, 24, has been charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder. His father, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recalled parliament early from its summer break for this week’s two-day session to debate tougher curbs after the shooting, which shocked the nation and prompted calls for more action on gun control and antisemitism.
The proposed gun control measures include tougher background checks for firearm licences, using intelligence information from Australia’s domestic spy agency.
The bill will also enable the largest national buyback scheme since a similar campaign after a 1996 massacre in Tasmania’s Port Arthur, in which a lone gunman killed 35 people.
Pebbles at a memorial site for those killed during the December shooting. Pic: Reuters
While Mr Burke described the number of firearms circulating within Australia as “unsustainable”, opposition politician Andrew Wallace of the Liberal Party attacked what he called the government’s “contempt” for gun owners.
The bill passed by a vote of 96 to 45.
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On Sunday, the government released figures showing the number of firearms in Australia had reached an all-time high.
There were a record 4.1 million registered guns in 2025, with 1.1 million of those in the most populous state of New South Wales where the attack took place, according to data from the Department of Home Affairs.
Earlier this month, Mr Albanese announced a national inquiry into antisemitism in Australia and the Bondi attack specifically.
Anthony Albanese announcing an inquiry into the Bondi Beach shootings. Pic: Reuters
He added that a national day of mourning for those killed would be held on 22 January.
A second bill, which had overwhelming support in The House, steps up penalties for hate crimes, such as jail terms up to 12 years when a religious official or preacher is involved.
It also provides new powers to tackle those who spread hate by banning certain groups, and cancelling or refusing visas.
The measures were originally planned for a single bill, but a backlash from opposition parties forced the government to split the package and drop provisions for an offence of racial vilification.
Separately, New South Wales has also imposed extra restrictions on gun owners, limiting individuals to four firearms each.
In the days after the attack, Jewish community groups and the Israeli government criticised the prime minister for failing to tackle rising antisemitic attacks and criticised protest marches against Israel’s war in Gaza.
This story originally appeared on Skynews
