Australia’s Labor government is fast-tracking sweeping new hate speech legislation after admitting that activists it previously jailed had committed no crimes under existing law.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans to recall Parliament and rush through new legislation that would massively expand the state’s power to criminalize speech, association, and political organizing. “Today, can I say that I will write this afternoon to the Speaker of the House of Representatives for Parliament to be recalled next Monday and Tuesday, both the House of Representatives and the Senate,” Albanese said. “The legislation will then be debated on Tuesday in the House of Representatives.”
“We intend to have that legislation passed the House before question time,” he added, saying it would then move to the Senate “in order to ensure its passage on that day.”
The legislation is being rushed through Parliament in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack, which Albanese and his ministers repeatedly cited as justification for the crackdown.
Albanese described the bill as the “Combating Anti-Semitism, Hate and Extremism Bill,” calling it “a comprehensive package of reforms which create serious offences for hate preachers and leaders seeking to radicalise young Australians.”
“It increases the penalties for hate crimes offences,” he said. “It ensures that offenders whose crimes were motivated by extremism had that factored into their sentencing.”
The bill creates “a new offence for inciting hatred in order to intimidate or harass,” expands bans on “prohibited symbols,” and makes it easier for the Home Affairs Minister “to cancel or refuse a visa for people intent on spreading hatred.”
It also introduces a framework allowing the government to list organisations as prohibited hate groups.
“Once an organisation is listed, it will be a criminal offence to be a member, to recruit for it, to donate or receive funds or support that group in any way,” Albanese said.
Attorney General Michelle Rowland made clear the scope of the crackdown. “Once these laws are passed, they will be the toughest hate laws Australia has ever seen,” she said.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the bill is designed to capture groups that have so far stayed within the letter of the law. “There have been organisations which have played a game for a long time in keeping themselves just below the legal threshold,” Burke said. “This bill will lower that threshold.”
“We have had enough of organisations that hate Australia playing games with Australian law,” he said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans to recall Parliament and rush through new legislation that would massively expand the state’s power to criminalize speech, association, and political organizing. “Today, can I say that I will write this afternoon to the Speaker of the House of Representatives for Parliament to be recalled next Monday and Tuesday, both the House of Representatives and the Senate,” Albanese said. “The legislation will then be debated on Tuesday in the House of Representatives.”
“We intend to have that legislation passed the House before question time,” he added, saying it would then move to the Senate “in order to ensure its passage on that day.”
The legislation is being rushed through Parliament in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack, which Albanese and his ministers repeatedly cited as justification for the crackdown.
Albanese described the bill as the “Combating Anti-Semitism, Hate and Extremism Bill,” calling it “a comprehensive package of reforms which create serious offences for hate preachers and leaders seeking to radicalise young Australians.”
“It increases the penalties for hate crimes offences,” he said. “It ensures that offenders whose crimes were motivated by extremism had that factored into their sentencing.”
The bill creates “a new offence for inciting hatred in order to intimidate or harass,” expands bans on “prohibited symbols,” and makes it easier for the Home Affairs Minister “to cancel or refuse a visa for people intent on spreading hatred.”
It also introduces a framework allowing the government to list organisations as prohibited hate groups.
“Once an organisation is listed, it will be a criminal offence to be a member, to recruit for it, to donate or receive funds or support that group in any way,” Albanese said.
Attorney General Michelle Rowland made clear the scope of the crackdown. “Once these laws are passed, they will be the toughest hate laws Australia has ever seen,” she said.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the bill is designed to capture groups that have so far stayed within the letter of the law. “There have been organisations which have played a game for a long time in keeping themselves just below the legal threshold,” Burke said. “This bill will lower that threshold.”
“We have had enough of organisations that hate Australia playing games with Australian law,” he said.
