Case Explained: Australian Jewish Groups Welcome Hate-Crime Laws After Bondi Attack – Legal Perspective

Joshua Marks

Australia’s organized Jewish community on Tuesday welcomed hate-crime laws passed by the country’s parliament earlier in the day, more than a month after an antisemitic terrorist attack at a Chanukah gathering at Sydney’s Bondi Beach killed 15 people.

The legislation was passed, together with tighter gun laws, after Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recalled senators and members of the House of Representatives from summer recess early for a special two-day session.

“We are very pleased that the hate speech bill has passed through Parliament. The surge of antisemitism over the past 27 months and the horrific Bondi terrorist attack demonstrated that strong national action is desperately needed to counter this hatred,” said Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council executive director Colin Rubinstein. “The new legislation is a very important and constructive start, although there is much work still ahead of us,” he added.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion said “no legislation is perfect, but the provisions of this new legislation represent a substantial achievement,” adding that “the speed of its passage demonstrates that our parliament can work quickly and decisively when faced with urgent necessity.”

Aghion warned that “if not addressed robustly, the problem of growing racial hatred will only get worse. Whilst the Jewish community is presently the main target, every group and every individual in society is potentially at risk in the future.”

In a statement, the Zionist Federation of Australia welcomed the “bipartisan agreement to strengthen Australia’s visa and prohibited organisation regimes,” while thanking the government and Liberal Party “for moving swiftly to pass this important legislation.”

It noted that the Combating Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026 provides a framework to act against the radical Islamist political group Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia (the measure also targets the neo-Nazi National Socialist Network), stressing that the government “should move promptly to ensure the organisation is formally banned.”

The package, rushed through in a special sitting, has divided some Jewish leaders over how far governments should go in curbing hate.

In contrast, the Australian Jewish Association, which describes itself as a “national membership org based on authentic Jewish & centre-right Australian values,” criticized the reforms as “rushed” and lacking consultation.

“The accelerated process surrounding this bill has denied Australians a meaningful opportunity to scrutinise and comment on legislation of major consequence,” according to the organization’s CEO, Robert Gregory. “Members of the Jewish community have expressed disappointment that the rushed timeframe prevented them from adequately considering or responding to the proposal,” the statement continued.

In the statement, the AJA highlighted free speech concerns, the legislation’s failure to address radical Islam and hate preachers, the addition of provisions unrelated to antisemitism, such as the firearms regulations, failure to address the use of “Zionist” as a proxy for “Jew” or withdraw taxpayer funding from antisemitic organizations.

“AJA would welcome the opportunity to engage meaningfully on this legislation and to contribute constructively to genuine efforts to combat antisemitism, but we urge that adequate time and consultation are afforded,” Gregory concluded.

The anti-hate speech measure enables groups that don’t fit Australia’s definition of a terrorist organization to be outlawed, gives authorities the power to cancel visas for individuals spreading hateful views and creates aggravated offenses with prison terms of up to 12 years for attempting to radicalize children. The gun legislation introduces new ownership restrictions and a government-funded buyback program.

Albanese announced earlier this month that Australia would launch a royal commission to investigate the Bondi Beach massacre. Days after the massacre, he said that the government would fully support and adopt all 13 recommendations of Jillian Segal, Australia’s special envoy to combat antisemitism, outlined in her July “Plan to Combat Antisemitism.”

U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy on antisemitism has said Washington is closely watching Australia’s royal commission amid concern over Albanese’s past pro‑Palestinian activism and his government’s handling of antisemitism.​