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Albanese Recalls Parliament to Fast-Track Hate Speech Crackdown and Gun Buyback Laws

The early sitting reflects a push to pair new anti-hate offences with firearms reforms in a single omnibus bill.

Overview

  • Parliament will sit on 19–20 January after the Prime Minister said draft laws to combat antisemitism, hate and extremism are ready for debate.
  • The package creates offences targeting hate preachers, adds an offence for inciting hatred to intimidate or harass, increases penalties, and factors extremist motivation into sentencing.
  • The bill expands bans on prohibited symbols, enables listing of prohibited hate groups with criminal penalties for membership and support, and gives the home affairs minister broader visa-cancellation powers.
  • The framework for a national gun buyback and stricter gun-licensing checks will be embedded in the bill, with full draft details to be released on Tuesday.
  • A cross-party condolence motion on the Bondi attack has been agreed, while the opposition questions bundling complex measures and ministers stress drafting designed to withstand High Court challenges.