Australia has fast-tracked a combined gun buyback and hate-speech bill following the Dec. 14 Bondi massacre that killed 15 people. The package would lower the threshold for prosecuting hate speech and introduce a new offence of promoting racial hatred, but includes an exemption for quoting religious texts. Conservatives, the Greens, universities and a UN special rapporteur warned the draft could curb free expression or be challenged in the High Court. The government says it is open to amendments as it seeks support in the Senate.
Australia Recalled Parliament as Controversial Gun Buyback and Hate-Speech Bill Faces Free-Speech Pushback
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks during an interfaith memorial service for the victims of the shooting at a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach, at St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney, Australia, December 17, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams
SYDNEY, Jan 15 (Reuters) - The Australian government’s proposal to combine a gun buyback with tougher hate-speech rules, announced after the Dec. 14 Bondi Beach mass shooting, has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, the Greens and legal experts — casting doubt on whether the measures can pass Parliament when it reconvenes next week.
What the Bill Would Do
The combined bill would fund a gun buyback and lower the threshold for prosecuting hate speech, creating a new offence of promoting racial hatred that carries a maximum five-year prison sentence. The draft also contains an exemption for quoting or discussing religious texts.
Background
The measures were fast-tracked following the Hanukkah gathering shooting in Sydney that killed 15 people. Police say the alleged gunmen were inspired by the Islamic State militant group. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recalled Parliament to sit next Monday and Tuesday in an effort to secure a vote.
Political Reactions
Conservative critics — including Liberal leader Sussan Ley and the National Party — argue the combined package is poorly timed and risks curbing free expression. Ley described the bill as "unsalvageable," saying it failed to focus on "radical Islamic extremist hate preaching without impinging on free speech." The Nationals object to linking gun control to hate-speech reforms in a single bill.
The Greens said they would not back the bill in its current form, citing fears it could be used to restrict political protest and would alter aspects of the migration act. Greens leader Larissa Waters called for hate-speech protections to explicitly cover Islamophobia and demanded assurances that legitimate criticism of state actions — including criticism of Israel — would not be criminalised.
Legal And Civil-Society Concerns
Universities and United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counter-Terrorism Ben Saul warned the draft could unduly limit freedom of expression. Constitutional law expert Anne Twomey said the measures could prompt a High Court challenge for impinging on implied freedom of political communication.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry welcomed reforms that would make prosecution easier by removing the need to prove audience incitement, but also warned the religious-text exemption may open a loophole for antisemitic speech. Daniel Aghion, the council’s president, urged passage despite noting "serious shortcomings."
Government Response And Early Effects
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke argued the draft law has already had an effect: a neo-Nazi group flagged by intelligence agencies reportedly disbanded to avoid prosecution, and a Sydney prayer hall linked to a cleric found by a court to have made intimidating statements about Jewish people announced it would close.
What Happens Next
Labor controls the House of Representatives and is negotiating with the Greens for Senate support. The government says it is open to amendments, but legal challenges and sustained political opposition mean the bill’s fate is uncertain.
Key facts: The Dec. 14 Bondi attack killed 15 people; the bill creates a new offence for promoting racial hatred (up to five years' jail); it exempts quotation of religious texts; and it pairs the hate-speech changes with a proposed gun buyback.
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