In a rare and urgent move, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the early recall of federal parliament to push through sweeping new legislation on hate speech and gun control in response to last month’s deadly Bondi terror attack. The move places pressure on both the Coalition and the Greens to back reforms the government says are necessary to prevent future acts of extremist violence.
Under the plan, Prime Minister recalls parliament to urgently pass hate speech and gun laws following Bondi terror attack, with MPs returning to Canberra two weeks ahead of schedule. The emergency sitting, set for 19 and 20 January, will debate a single legislative package combining tougher hate speech measures with the most significant gun buyback scheme since the Port Arthur massacre.
Albanese said the proposed laws would introduce stronger anti-vilification provisions, including a new racial vilification offence and a formal system to list prohibited hate groups under a lower threshold than existing terror listings. The government also plans to crack down on so-called “hate preachers” who promote division and extremism within the community.
The legislation goes further by ensuring extremist motivation is explicitly considered during sentencing, strengthening bans on prohibited symbols, and creating a new offence for inciting hatred with the intent to intimidate or harass. Expanded powers would also allow the home affairs minister to cancel or refuse visas on national security grounds, alongside the creation of a formal hate group listing framework.
At the same time, the bill would establish a nationwide gun buyback scheme, drawing comparisons to reforms introduced after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. Albanese rejected claims that the proposal was designed to politically corner opponents of tighter gun laws.
“The terrorists at Bondi had hatred in their minds and guns in their hands,” he said. “This legislation addresses both.”
The emergency parliamentary session will also include condolence motions for the 15 victims killed in the Bondi attack. Parliament was originally scheduled to resume on 3 February.
Jewish community leaders, opposition figures and crossbench MPs began receiving briefings on the hate speech provisions on Tuesday afternoon, with the full bill expected to be released publicly the following day. The legislation will also undergo scrutiny by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security before its formal introduction.
While Albanese declined to confirm whether the opposition would support the bill, he said he expects it to pass the Senate by the evening of 20 January. However, resistance is already emerging. One Nation and several Nationals MPs have voiced opposition to tougher gun laws, while states such as Tasmania argue the federal government should bear the full financial cost of the buyback program.
Attorney-General Michelle Rowland described the proposal as “the toughest hate laws Australia has ever seen,” saying the reforms would directly target those who undermine social cohesion.
“These laws will send a clear message that spreading hatred has no place in Australia,” Rowland said.
The prime minister dismissed accusations that the bill was being rushed, noting all parties would have at least a week to review it. Coalition MPs were briefed earlier in the week, and Albanese is scheduled to speak with Greens leader Larissa Waters.
“There is urgency,” he said, “but it is matched by a commitment to getting it right.”
The government has also consulted extensively with Jewish organisations ahead of drafting the reforms. Albanese confirmed discussions with Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Peter Wertheim, who cautiously welcomed the tougher approach.
“This is a promising sign,” Wertheim said, while stressing the need to ensure the laws deliver meaningful protection.
Opposition leader Sussan Ley said the Coalition would assess the legislation but accused the government of politicising the response to Bondi.
“We are deeply sceptical of the decision to bundle multiple complex and unrelated policy areas into a single bill,” Ley said, arguing that free speech issues should not be conflated with firearm regulation.
Former Nationals leader and One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce also weighed in, calling for the reforms to include a ban on burning the Australian flag.
“If it’s hate speech, doesn’t that define hate?” he said.
The push for new laws comes just days after Albanese announced a royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion, reversing his earlier stance following mounting political and community pressure.
As parliament prepares to reconvene, the proposed reforms are shaping up as one of the most consequential—and contested—legislative responses to extremism Australia has seen in decades.
