The New South Wales government has enacted comprehensive security legislation in response to the Bondi Junction shootings, triggering intense debate between civil liberties advocates and proponents of public safety. Premier Chris Minns recalled parliament to fast-track measures addressing firearm restrictions, protest regulations, and hate speech prohibitions.
The legislative package introduces significant changes to firearm ownership, limiting most license holders to four weapons while permitting farmers and sport shooters to possess up to ten. The reform follows revelations that Bondi attacker Sajid Akram owned six registered firearms. License renewal periods will shorten from five to two years, with additional reviews planned for permissible firearm categories.
Protest regulations have been substantially enhanced, granting police authority to restrict demonstrations near worship sites and remove face coverings from individuals suspected of even minor offenses. The government has also prohibited the phrase ‘globalise the intifada,’ which Premier Minns characterized as ‘an invitation to violence’ that fosters social division.
Civil liberties organizations have condemned the measures as democratic erosion. NSW Council for Civil Liberties president Timothy Roberts argued these laws contradict Supreme Court rulings on political communication freedoms, stating they ‘oppress some parts of our community’ rather than promoting healing.
Conversely, Jewish community representatives welcomed the reforms. NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip described the hate speech provisions as a ‘watershed moment,’ emphasizing that protest rights shouldn’t extend to concealing identities or inciting violence.
The political response reflects deep divisions, with Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party representative Mark Banasiak claiming licensed owners are being ‘punished for agency failings,’ while Walter Mikac—whose family perished in Australia’s deadliest mass shooting—applauded the ‘community safety first’ approach.