Civil rights groups and pro-gun advocates in Australia have raised concerns that new fast-tracked laws will place undue restrictions on firearms and protests in the wake of the Bondi shootings.
On Monday, the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) recalled its parliament to debate a raft of new laws such as banning the phrase globalise the intifada, limiting the number of guns one person can own, and granting greater police powers for protests.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said some may feel the changes had gone too far but they were needed to keep the community safe.
A pro-gun politician noted that the laws unfairly target law-abiding gun owners, while civil libertarians argued that restrictions on protests are an affront to democracy.
Regarding the proposed ban on the term intifada, Minns asserted its use at protests represents a call to violence. He remarked, I believe it leads to a culture and environment of heightened disunity and a potential invitation to violence.
In the aftermath of the Bondi attacks, where 15 people were killed, the Jewish community accused the government of not adequately protecting it from rising antisemitism. New protest laws would empower police to restrict demonstrations at religious sites, imposing stricter penalties for those that breach these rules.
Timothy Roberts, president of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties, criticized the new laws as injurious to democracy, arguing that silence does not equate to peace and could represent oppression.
Police will additionally be permitted to remove face coverings from protesters suspected of offenses, even if they are minor, expanding their previous authority to do so only in cases of serious offences.
On the gun reform front, new laws stipulate that license holders in NSW can own no more than four firearms, with exceptions for farmers and sport shooters allowed up to ten. This follows similar measures in Western Australia aimed at curbing gun ownership.
Mark Banasiak from the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party contended that 260,000 gun license holders are being punished for agency failings.
Conversely, some support the reforms aimed at improving community safety, emphasizing the urgency of addressing potential gaps in existing gun laws. The government is also looking to combat hate speech and may suspend protests for up to three months post-terrorist incidents.
The new laws continue to provoke debate about limits on freedom of speech and assembly as stakeholders navigate the delicate balance between safety and democracy in the wake of the Bondi tragedy.
