Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced this Thursday (December 18, 2025) that his government would promote legal reforms to strengthen the fight against “those who spread hatred, division and radicalization” following the attack on the Jewish community last Sunday.
Albanese explained that the Attorney General and the Interior Minister will begin drafting a package of measures that will include the introduction of a serious crime of hate speech for preachers and leaders who promote violence, as well as toughening penalties for hate speech that incites acts of violence.
The planned reforms also include taking hate into account as an aggravating factor when imposing penalties for online threats and harassment, and developing a system for including on official lists organizations whose leaders engage in hate speech that promotes violence or racial hatred.
The government is also considering creating a specific and limited federal crime of aggravated defamation based on race or promoting racial supremacy.
The leader added that Home Secretary Tony Burke would be given new powers to cancel or refuse visas to people who spread hate and division.
In parallel, Albanese confirmed the establishment of a 12-month task force to assess Australia’s education system and ensure it is adequately tackling anti-Semitism.
“Full support” from the government
Appearing in Parliament, the Prime Minister reiterated the government’s “full support” for the recommendations of Special Envoy on Anti-Semitism Jillian Segal, whose report was presented in July.
Albanese described anti-Semitism as “an evil that is tearing the fabric of Australia” and noted that attacks on the country’s Jewish community had increased.
The executive committed to advancing the implementation of the report’s 13 recommendations in consultation with the Jewish community and the special envoy.
A shooting on Bondi Beach at an event organized by the Jewish community last Sunday left 16 people dead, including one of the perpetrators, a father and a son, and dozens injured.
According to initial investigations, the authorities assume that the father and son acted independently and were influenced by the ideology of the Islamic State (IS). In November they traveled to the south of the Philippines, where some cells linked to ISIS operate.
mg (efe, reuters)
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