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PM says he understands community anger as he announces reforms after Bondi
Anthony Albanese says he feels responsibility for the pain felt by the Jewish community in the wake of last Sunday’s terrorist attack in Bondi.
The prime minister is holding a press conference in Canberra, saying the federal cabinet has just met for a second time since the mass shooting to discuss legislative reforms.
Albanese attended a vigil in Bondi yesterday, where he was booed by some people.
He said:
Emotions were raw, and a lot of people in the community are hurting and angry. And some of that anger was directed towards me, and I understand that.
As prime minister, I feel the weight of responsibility for an atrocity that happened while I’m prime minister. And I’m sorry for what the Jewish community and our nation as a whole has experienced.
Among the changes being considered by cabinet are creating an aggravated offence for hate preaching advocating violence against protected groups, increasing penalties for existing offences for hate speech, making hate motivation a factor in sentencing for commonwealth crimes, and making it a criminal offence to join, recruit or support listed prohibited hate organisations.
Albanese says the government is also considering changes to gun laws and will work with the states and territories on this.
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Alleged Bondi shooter moved from hospital to NSW prison
Luca Ittimani
Naveed Akram has left hospital under riot squad guard and is now in a New South Wales prison, police have confirmed.
Police said a 24‑year‑old prisoner was transferred from a North Shore hospital to a correctional facility.
Officers from traffic and highway patrol, aviation command and the public order and riot squad assisted Corrective Services NSW with the transfer, police said.
Attorney general says cabinet has agreed to progress anti-hate speech package
The attorney general, Michelle Rowland, says the federal cabinet has agreed to progress the new anti-hate speech legislative package, reiterating comments made by the prime minister.
Speaking at the same press conference with the prime minister, Rowland said:
The package will crack down on those who spread hate, division and radicalisation in our community, and build upon the government’s existing hate speech laws.
Rowland said the legislative package will include the measures outlined by the prime minister last week, including:
An aggravated hate speech offence for preachers and leaders who promote or threaten violence against protected groups or members of groups.
Increased penalties for hate speech offences relating to advocating or threatening force or violence against protected groups or members of groups and their property.
Making hate an aggravating factor in sentencing in terms of a number of commonwealth crimes.
There will also be a new serious vilification offence that criminalises inciting hatred, which Rowland says the government will consult the Jewish community on.
Additionally, there will be a new aggravated offence targeting adults who seek to influence and radicalise children.
PM says he understands community anger as he announces reforms after Bondi
Anthony Albanese says he feels responsibility for the pain felt by the Jewish community in the wake of last Sunday’s terrorist attack in Bondi.
The prime minister is holding a press conference in Canberra, saying the federal cabinet has just met for a second time since the mass shooting to discuss legislative reforms.
Albanese attended a vigil in Bondi yesterday, where he was booed by some people.
He said:
Emotions were raw, and a lot of people in the community are hurting and angry. And some of that anger was directed towards me, and I understand that.
As prime minister, I feel the weight of responsibility for an atrocity that happened while I’m prime minister. And I’m sorry for what the Jewish community and our nation as a whole has experienced.
Among the changes being considered by cabinet are creating an aggravated offence for hate preaching advocating violence against protected groups, increasing penalties for existing offences for hate speech, making hate motivation a factor in sentencing for commonwealth crimes, and making it a criminal offence to join, recruit or support listed prohibited hate organisations.
Albanese says the government is also considering changes to gun laws and will work with the states and territories on this.
Australian Democracy Network criticises new anti-protest laws in NSW
The Australian Democracy Network has criticised the Minns government’s proposed new anti-protest laws, warning they would undermine the right to peaceful protest and unreasonably expand police powers.
The laws, which have already drawn criticism from the Greens and civil liberties groups, give the New South Wales police commissioner, with the concurrence of the minister, the power to ban protests for three months after a terrorist attack.
The new laws – which are being debated by NSW parliament – would allow police to ban protests in a particular area and the whole state, and give police new powers to remove face coverings.
The Australian Democracy Network has issued a media release today warning the “rushed lawmaking” targets and undermines the “fundamental democratic right” to peaceful protest.
In the statement, the group’s protest campaigner, Anastasia Radievska, said:
Premier Chris Minns has linked anti-genocide protests to the Bondi terror attack without evidence, while a police investigation into the Bondi massacre is still underway.
Antisemitism must be addressed, but restricting peaceful protest will not curb it and will only weaken democratic participation and community trust.
With January 26 approaching, these laws could shut down public protests involving First Nations communities and their supporters.
Under the changes before Parliament, police powers would be significantly expanded, which is deeply concerning given protesters have already been injured and pepper-sprayed under existing laws, and extending those powers to face coverings risks increasing violence without making communities safer over the summer.
Penry Buckley
NSW s leader says regional stakeholders received ‘one late phone call’ on gun restrictions
The NSW s leader, Gurmesh Singh, has spoken about his party’s decision not to support the Minns government’s attempt to impose tighter gun controls in response to the Bondi beach attack.
Singh says regional stakeholders only received “one late phone call” yesterday afternoon about the changes from the government. He says the changes proposed, limiting farmers to 10 firearms, “do not reflect how firearms are used in regional and rural settings” and that:
One of the questions that we have had from people in metro areas is: Why do farmers need potentially more than 10 firearms?
If you are out on a large station, and you might have 30, 40, 50, 100 employees, and you have to do pest control out on your property.
Just like your employees aren’t expected to bring their own tractor to work, they aren’t expected to bring their own firearms to work either. So that licence belonging to the owner of the farm will have tools. The firearms are tools that they need to be able to go about their business.
The opposition received a briefing on the changes on Friday afternoon. A draft of the bill was shared with them yesterday afternoon, but the final version was not made available until parliament resumed this morning.
Earlier, the attorney general, Michael Daley, rejected the idea that the government had not properly consulted on the bill, saying laws introduced after the 2005 Cronulla riots had been presented to the opposition under a similar timeframe and received bipartisan support.
Bondi Pavillion memorial removed for historical preservation – in pictures
People have been helping to clear the masses of flowers and notes from the Bondi pavilion, left as tributes for the victims of last Sunday’s terrorist attack.
The New South Wales government and Waverley council had flagged the floral memorial left by community members to honour the memory of those killed would be removed on Monday for historical preservation.
Notices announcing the decision were posted on lamp-posts around the Bondi Pavilion yesterday – saying the Australian Jewish Historical Society and Sydney Jewish Museum would help collect and preserve the materials.
Here are some photos from the clean-up today.
Natasha May
NSW health secretary welcomes Northern Beaches hospital ‘into our family’
Regarding the agreement to change Northern Beaches hospital from the private system into a public hospital, the New South Wales health secretary, Susan Pearce, said:
On behalf of NSW, I am looking forward to welcoming the professional, hard-working, and caring staff from Northern Beaches hospital into our family.
I know this has been a challenging period for staff at Northern Beaches hospital and the transition period will also not be without its challenges, but throughout it all they have continued to put their patients and community first.
...This agreement provides staff with much-needed clarity and confidence about the future of the hospital.
Northern Beaches hospital officially under public ownership
Natasha May
Following months of negotiations, the agreement for the transition of the Northern Beaches hospital to the state’s public hospital system has now been signed.
The government announced the in-principle deal in October that would see the entire hospital integrate into the public system, despite some senior medical staff expressing disappointment that a private component would not be retained.
The New South Wales government has now signed the contract with Healthscope and its receivers to hand back the hospital next year.
The hospital is anticipated to be under the management of the Northern Sydney local health district and part of NSW Health on 29 April 2026, the government said.
The signing of the final binding agreement will allow employment offers to commence this month, with all clinical and support staff currently working at the hospital to be offered jobs by NSW Health at the facility.
Benita Kolovos
Victorian premier says ‘some’ have used Israel-Gaza war as an ‘opportunity to drive hate’
At that same press conference where she announced anti-protest laws, Jacinta Allan has just been asked: “Is there going to be any room for criticism of Israel as a state?”
She replied:
In terms of being critical of the decisions of governments or nation states globally, that is a principle of the freedom of speech.
But what has occurred, particularly since the 7th of October … and the ensuing conflict that has gone on since then has been used by some, not by many … as an opportunity to drive hate, to behave in extremist ways that are not acceptable.
It is hateful, and we have seen at times it is being disgracefully antisemitic. So there is a distinction here between having a disagreement, having a difference of opinion with the decisions and actions of another government or another nation, and using that to drive hateful behaviour on the streets.
That is my focus and my target.
Benita Kolovos
New Victorian anti-protest laws to be introduced to parliament early in 2026
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, says legislation will be introduced to parliament early next year to give police powers to stop or move on a protest within a certain time following a designated terror event.
She says the government will receive advice from the solicitor general, through the attorney general, as to whether it will apply to terror events in other states:
I want to make it absolutely clear that this is work that will be concluded over the course of the coming weeks, over January, because we do have seen that there is a requirement for in the aftermath of a terrorist incident.
It happened on Bondi Beach, but it affected all of us. It affected communities everywhere. And there is a need for there to be calm, for there to be cohesion.
No one should be using an incident, a terrorist, anti-semitic terrorist event, as an opportunity to protest. But we need to make that very clear under the law.
And the the examination by the solicitor general will look at how - within the existing framework here in Victoria - this can be achieved.
Asked what sort of time limit would be introduced, she pointed to the New South Wales legislation:
I note the NSW position is for up to 14 days. I’m not here today to put a time limit on that. We will be getting that advice from the solicitor general.
Victoria to introduce new anti-protest powers similar to NSW
Benita Kolovos
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, says Victoria will announce powers similar to the anti-protest laws introduced to NSW parliament a part of what she described as the “five next steps” to combat antisemitism.
Allan told reporters in Melbourne that they will introduce legislation to grant the police commissioner new powers for police to “stop or move on a public protest within a certain time following a designated terrorist event”.
She also promised a review into Victoria’s gun laws headed by former police commissioner Ken Lay; a release of the state’s new “strategy for preventing and countering extremism 2025-28”, and appointing a commissioner to implement it; and convening a council of “eminent Victorians to develop a set of big, simple and measurable long term goals” to combat anti-semitism and implement the recommendations of Jillian Segal’s federal review.
She also promised to fast-track the civil anti-vilification scheme, which passed parliament this year, to commence in April 2026, instead of mid-year. The government will also amend the laws to remove the requirement that the Director of Public Prosecutions must consent to police prosecutions for the criminal vilification part of the bill. It says it will also introduce new laws to “hold social media companies and their anonymous users to account”.
Allan says:
Now I cannot fully personally comprehend the unique sadness, pain and fear of Jews in this moment. But I can share in their horror that the worst massacre of Jewish lives since October the 7th took place here on an Australian beach in the summer, the very backdrop of our gentle, carefree way of life.
December the 14th was a direct attack upon Jews and a direct attack upon our way of life. It demands action … I cannot stand here today revealing a simple answer, but I do stand here making this simple long term commitment in the name of the Victorian community, I take responsibility for everything that happens in this state. I am sorry, and I stand with you for the long term. I will fight for you.
Catie McLeod
Hi, I’ll take you through the rest of this afternoon’s news.
Stephanie Convery
I’m going to hand you over to my colleague Catie McLeod now who will take you through the rest of the afternoon.
More detail on the Public Assembly Restriction Declarations law
Penry Buckley
Further to the previous post, the most controversial element of the NSW bill will create a power for the police commissioner or deputy commissioner, with the approval of the police minister, to make a “Public Assembly Restriction Declaration” (Pard) if a terrorist incident is declared, restricting public assemblies such as protests in a specified area, “if likely to cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety or pose a risk to community safety”.
The declaration, which would mean protests could not be “authorised” under NSW’s form 1 system and give police the power to move on protests in the designated area, must be made within 14 days of a terrorist incident being declared. The declaration an be extended for a period of up to 90 days, but would do not apply public assemblies that are part of industrial action.
The shadow attorney general, Alister Henskens, stands up to speak. He expresses concern that parliament is debating a bill which the opposition only saw in draft at 1.20pm yesterday, and in its final version during the motions of condolence about an hour ago:
We have had no investigation into how our security services did not pick up that these two had traveled and stayed and probably trained in a terrorist hot spot in the Philippines for a month prior to these [alleged] murders, yet without knowing the true and full facts, the premier, in order to try and look like he is doing something, is presenting rushed and piecemeal legislation to this parliament with limited, if not zero, community consultation.
Henskens says the Liberals, who have indicated their general support for the bill, will seek to introduce amendments to increase the sentence for displaying terrorist symbols to 5 years, with a standard non-parole period of 1.5 years in jail.
On the protest laws, he expresses concern that only two terrorist incidents have been declared in the history of NSW, the Bondi Beach attack and the Lindt cafe siege in December 2014 and the laws do not go far enough. He says the Liberals will seek to introduce a $1,000 fine for those who participate in a protest in a designated area after the declaration of a terrorist event.
NSW parliamentary debate begins as final reforms revealed
Penry Buckley
The parliamentary debate on the NSW changes to gun control, hate speech, and protest laws has begun, after the police minister, Yasmin Catley, gave the bill its second reading.
Catley has laid out the final version of the bill being put forward by the government. The gun control elements of the bill include:
Limiting the number of firearms that can be possessed to four for recreational licensees and ten for those using them for primary production or pest control, as well as sports and target shooters. Firearms dealers and collectors will still have no limit on the number of weapons.
Reducing the length of a general term for a firearms licence from five to two years.
Requiring licensees to be Australian citizens.
Removing the right for most appeals against license decisions to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (Ncat).
Giving the power to police to refuse a license on the basis of criminal intelligence or other information that a person is a risk to public safety.
Recategorising straight pull, pump action and button or lever-release firearms to category C, “prohibited except for official purposes”.
The changes to hate speech laws will criminalise the public display of prohibited terrorist organisation symbols, including the Isis flag, with a maximum sentence of 2 years.
In addition, new police powers will give officers the power to direct protestors to remove face coverings if they have a reasonable suspicion that person is committed or is likely to commit an offence, and criminalising the refusal to comply, with penalties of up to a year in jail.
Benita Kolovos
Bush maintains protest permits not needed in Melbourne but anti-Zionist protest this afternoon ‘inappropriate’
Mike Bush was also asked about a protest planned in Melbourne’s CBD this afternoon being organised by an anti-Zionist group. He says it shouldn’t go ahead:
I think it’s very inappropriate to protest on the back of what occurred at Bondi, people need to be sensitive to other people’s feelings. That was an absolute tragedy, and we need to respect each other.
Asked if he would welcome the introduction of protest permits – which the Victorian opposition have been pushing for some time – Bush maintains they’re not needed. He says:
I haven’t changed my mind on the permit system, but I’m sure there’s something else we can do. I’m more focused on having the ability to veto protests when they’re not appropriate.
He says he’s in “discussion with the government” and was “waiting to see what’s going to be announced” at a press conference today by the premier, Jacinta Allan.
Benita Kolovos
Figures on warrantless searches in Melbourne CBD to be provided
Victorian police commissioner Mike Bush was asked whether police also planned to ramp up warrantless searches – given the MCG is included in the designated area that will be in place until 29 May. The designated area gives police and protective service officers (PSOs) the ability to randomly stop and search anyone without a warrant or reasonable grounds.
He says such searches will be conducted on a “case by case” basis. Bush went on:
It is very important that we ensure that nothing occurs inside this event. So as required, people will be subject to search.
He says he doesn’t have a figure for the amount of searches conducted since the declaration was made on 30 November but it would be provided.
