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Lower house approves sweeping firearm and hate speech reforms
Australia's House of Representatives passed two contentious bills on Tuesday, one month after a mass shooting in Sydney's Bondi Beach left 15 people dead. The measures now head to the Senate, where final approval is expected later today.
Gun buyback targets surplus firearms
The firearm reform bill, approved 96 to 45, introduces tighter import controls and mandates better intelligence-sharing on licence applicants. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the scheme will remove "surplus and newly restricted firearms," cutting the national stockpile of four million registered guns.
Burke noted that Australia now has more guns than it did before the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, which killed 35 and led to some of the world's strictest gun laws. "Most Australians would be shocked to learn that," he told Parliament.
Hate speech legislation revised after opposition pushback
The hate speech reforms, initially bundled with the gun bill, were split last week after both the Liberal-National coalition and the Greens threatened to block them. The opposition cited free-speech concerns and vague definitions, while the Greens demanded broader protections for minorities and protest rights.
On Tuesday, Liberal leader Sussan Ley announced her party had reached a compromise with the government. "We stepped up to fix legislation the government had mishandled," Ley said in a statement. "It's now narrowed, strengthened, and properly focused on keeping Australians safe."
The revised bill bans groups deemed to spread hate and requires biennial reviews by a parliamentary committee. The opposition will also be consulted on listing and delisting extremist organisations.
Bondi attackers exploited legal loopholes
Burke said the father-son duo behind the December 14 attack would not have legally obtained firearms under the new laws. The father owned six guns legally, while his son was known to intelligence agencies. "They had hate in their hearts and guns in their hands," Burke told Parliament.
Senate vote expected Tuesday
With Labor holding a majority in the lower house, the bills' fate hinges on Senate support. The government has secured backing from the Liberals after amendments, while the Greens' position remains unclear.
