Australian prime minister unveils new measures to combat antisemitism in wake of Sunday’s massacre in Sydney
The federal government will significantly strengthen hate speech laws – including to target religious preachers – and create new powers to cancel or reject visas of people who spread “hate and division” as part of a major escalation in its response to the Bondi massacre.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, unveiled the measures on Thursday after days of intensifying pressure to do more to stamp out anti-Jewish hate in the wake of Sunday’s terrorist attack on a Hanukah celebration.
Speaking in Canberra after a meeting of his national security committee, Albanese said the government “adopts and fully supports” Jillian Segal’s plan to combat antisemitism.
Albanese said the changes would include an aggravated hate speech offence for preachers and leaders who promote violence, increased penalties for hate speech promoting violence and making hate an aggravating factor in sentencing crimes for online threats and harassment.
