Australian PM Launches Crackdown on Hate Speech after Bondi Massacre

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government will crack down on hate speech following the deadly shooting at Bondi Beach that targeted a Jewish festival, Helen Livingstone reported for BBC News.

The home affairs minister will be granted new powers to cancel or refuse visas for individuals who spread hate. (Photo: DaHuzyBru Wikimedia Commons)

Fifteen people were killed when two gunmen opened fire at an event marking the first day of Hanukkah. New laws will target “those who spread hate, division and radicalization,” Albanese told reporters in Canberra.

The home affairs minister will be granted new powers to cancel or refuse visas for individuals who spread hate, and a new task force will be established to ensure the education system “prevents, tackles and properly responds to antisemitism.”

The legislation will also introduce penalties for preachers and leaders who promote violence, create a new federal offense of “aggravated hate speech,” and make “hate” an aggravating factor in sentencing for online threats and harassment.

“Every Jewish Australian has the right to feel safe, valued and respected for the contribution that they make to our great nation,” Albanese said.

“The terrorists, inspired by ISIS, sought to turn Australians against each other. Australians have responded to that act of hatred with love and sympathy for those in mourning.”

Daniel Aghion, president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry — the peak body representing Australian Jews — said he would “need to see the details before making an assessment as to whether the measures are likely to live up to their billing.”