Parliament to be recalled soon to debate hate speech laws

2 days ago 6

Parliament is likely to be recalled within the next fortnight to debate newly drafted legislation to crack down on hate speech following the Bondi Beach massacre.

The Coalition has for weeks been demanding Prime Minister Anthony Albanese bring MPs back to Canberra for an urgent parliamentary sitting before its scheduled return on February 3, but he has so far resisted while new hate speech and gun laws have been drafted over the summer.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is under pressure to recall parliament.

“Every day that the parliament has not come back has been a day that it should have come back,” Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said in a press conference on Monday in Canberra.

“So in fact, whenever it comes back, it won’t be coming back early. It will be coming back late.“

Ley said she has been in discussions with the prime minister but has not yet been given a firm date.

While promising to work constructively with the government to pass new laws, she sad she would expect to see it “well in advance of any recall of parliament,” in order to get it right.

“We do have to make sure it is fit for purpose,” she said.

The prime minister announced a slew of reforms in the days following the Bondi massacre last month, in which IS-inspired gunmen targeted a Hanukkah celebration, killing 15 people in the worst alleged terror attack in Australia’s history.

Public servants have worked through Christmas and the new year to get legislation ready, including to introduce an “aggravated hate-speech offence” for preachers and leaders who promote violence, and a federal offence for serious vilification based on race or advocating racial supremacy. Penalties for promoting violence will also be increased, hate will be made an aggravating factor when sentencing people for online threats, and a regime to list organisations whose leaders promote violence or racial hatred will be created. The home affairs minister’s powers to deny and rescind visas will also be expanded.

The government is hastening the development of a national firearms register, and has committed to a national buyback scheme for gun owners to surrender firearms in line with new rules being passed by state and territory governments to put a cap on the number of guns a person can own.

Legislation was still being drafted on Monday according to one government source, and it was not yet clear whether it would all be put to parliament at once, but discussions have started with the Coalition about recalling parliament.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the national security committee had met again on Monday, and was focused on the most urgent next steps following the Bondi tragedy.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the national security committee had met most days since the Bondi attack.

“We are in the process of strengthening laws against hate speech. We’re in the process of working with the state territories to toughen up our gun laws. We’re in the process of accelerating some of the implementation of the recommendations of the Segal review,” Chalmers told reporters.

“We will recall the parliament when we can legislate some of those very substantive steps.”

Chalmers thanked officials “who have been working around the clock since the horrific events of December to work with ministers to update and strengthen the relevant legislation”.

Opposition home affairs spokesman Jonno Duniam said on Monday the Coalition had not had any input into the government’s proposed reforms.

Opposition home affairs spokesman for Jonno Duniam has been reluctant to endorse proposed reform.

“I’ve not received any briefing or any early insights into what the government is drafting up by way of legislation,” Duniam told Sky News. “I look forward to receiving a briefing sometime soon, but the sooner we can deal with these things, the better.”