Australian PM Unveils Sweeping New Laws Targeting Antisemitism, Will Jail Radical Imams

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Thursday that his government will introduce a broad package of new laws aimed at combating antisemitism and extremist incitement, describing antisemitism as an “evil scourge” in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack that claimed the lives of 15 people attending a Chanukah celebration.

Albanese said the government will fully adopt a report prepared by antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal, a document that had drawn criticism from parts of the Jewish community over delays in implementation.

The prime minister said new legislation will be developed by the attorney-general and the home affairs minister and will focus on five central measures.

Those measures include aggravated hate speech offences for preachers and leaders who incite violence, tougher penalties for hate speech that promotes violence, and treating hate as an aggravating factor in sentencing for online threats and harassment.

The legislative package will also establish a framework for listing organizations whose leaders engage in hate speech, promote violence, or incite racial hatred, as well as create a narrowly defined federal offence for serious vilification based on race or the advocacy of racial supremacy.

In addition, Albanese said the home affairs minister will receive expanded authority to cancel or deny visas “for those who spread hate and division in this country, or would do so if they were allowed to come here.”

A 12-month national task force will also be established to ensure Australia’s education system both prevents antisemitism and responds effectively when incidents occur.

For the first time, the Commonwealth government’s disaster recovery fund will be used to support victims of a terror attack, after federal and New South Wales authorities agreed to provide financial compensation to those affected by the Bondi massacre.

Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team will carry out additional search warrants in the coming days as part of the ongoing investigation.

The alleged gunman, Naveed Akram, has been charged with carrying out a terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, where 15 people were murdered and 49 others were injured. The 24-year-old faces a total of 59 charges.

Barrett said investigators are also focusing on individuals described as “hate preachers.”

“These individuals who spew hatred and cause fear are on my radar, and I have had the counter-terrorism and special investigations command reviewing information and other material in relation to these individuals since I became the commissioner,” she said.

ABC News reporting has linked Akram to an extremist cleric based in Sydney, and police said two homemade flags associated with the Islamic State terrorist group were found inside the vehicle used in the attack.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the government intends to lower the legal threshold for action against extremist organizations.

“There have been organisations which any Australian would look at and say their behaviour, their philosophy, and what they are trying to do is about division, and has no place in Australia,” Burke said.

“And yet, for a generation, no government has been able to successfully take action against them because they have fallen just below the legal threshold.

“We have no time for organisations where their mission is to hate Australia and to hate fellow Australians.”

Asked whether religion motivated the Bondi attack, Albanese said the violence stemmed from extremist ideology tied to the Islamic State terrorist group.

“This was about extremism. This was IS inspired. We know IS distorts and corrupts Islam which leads to radicalisation.”