Australia’s lower house passed tougher gun and anti-hate laws after the Bondi Beach mass shooting.
The legislation responds to the deadliest shooting in decades at a Jewish festival last month in Sydney, Australia. Lawmakers approved two bills during a special parliamentary session on Tuesday.
The bills now move to the Senate for debate.The gun bill proposes a national buyback and stricter licence checks.
The Greens support the gun measures despite opposition from the Liberal-National coalition.
The anti-hate bill is likely to pass with Liberal Party support.Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke introduced the gun reforms. He said attackers acted with “hate in their hearts and guns in their hands.”The December 14 attack at Bondi Beach killed 15 people.
Burke said the events required a comprehensive government response. He said the government must address both motivation and method.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recalled parliament early from summer recess. He called the special session to strengthen gun laws and counter antisemitism.
The buyback would be the largest since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.That attack in Tasmania killed 35 people.The bill also tightens background checks for firearm licences. States would use intelligence from the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.
The government said Australia had 4.1 million firearms last year.More than 1.1 million were in New South Wales. New South Wales was the site of the Bondi attack.Burke said the number of firearms is unsustainable.
The lower house passed the gun bill 96 to 45.The coalition voted against it.Shadow Attorney-General Andrew Wallace criticised the bill. He said it showed contempt for Australia’s million gun owners.He said guns are tools of trade for many Australians.Lawmakers also passed a second bill on hate crimes. The bill increases penalties, including jail terms up to 12 years. The higher penalties apply when religious officials are involved. The law allows bans on groups deemed to spread hate.It also expands powers to cancel or refuse visas.
The lower house passed the hate bill 116 to 7.Liberal lawmakers supported it.The National Party abstained.
Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said the bill targets violence based on immutable traits. She said such conduct fuels extremism and terrorism.
Police say the alleged Bondi gunmen drew inspiration from Islamic State. The government of Australia initially planned one combined bill. Opposition from the coalition and the Greens forced a split.The government dropped a proposed racial vilification offence.Separately, New South Wales limited individuals to four guns.
The state also expanded police powers to curb protests during terror attacks.Police extended protest curbs in parts of Sydney by two weeks.
The measures do not ban protests outright.Critics say the curbs are undemocratic.