Overview
- A draft Combating Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill would create a federal offence for publicly promoting or inciting racial hatred, include a narrow defence for quoting religious texts, and impose tougher penalties on hate preachers.
- The package expands bans on prohibited symbols, establishes a regime to list hate groups as criminal organisations, and makes extremism an aggravating factor in sentencing.
- Home affairs powers would broaden to refuse or cancel visas for people intending to spread hatred, with new offences targeting leaders who radicalise others.
- Gun measures would launch a national buyback, tighten import controls, limit how many firearms an individual can own, require Australian citizenship for licences, and expand intelligence-led background checks using AusCheck with ASIO and ACIC input.
- The coalition is sceptical of bundling hate-speech and firearms changes and will scrutinise the draft in committee this week, while a national Day of Mourning is set for 22 January as the royal commission proceeds.