21/01/2026
Proposed laws targeting hate groups and hate speech passed both houses of Parliament on Tuesday, 20 January 2026. The laws come in the wake of the terror attack in Bondi in December 2025 and aim to address rising levels of antisemitic and other hate speech, violence and extremism in Australia.
The reforms strengthen existing legislation for hate crimes committed against people on the basis of their race or national or ethnic origin, building on existing discrimination and criminal legislation.
In summary, the amendments:
- increase penalties for hate crimes offences, bringing penalties for advocating or threatening violence against protected groups in line with the penalties for advocating terrorism or genocide
- establish a framework for designating and prohibiting hate groups – being organisations that have prepared or plan to engage in conduct that is a hate crime targeted at a person distinguished by race or national or ethnic origin
- create new criminal offences for being involved with or supporting a prohibited hate group
- strengthen laws against the public display of prohibited hate symbols
- create aggravated offences with greater penalties, including where religious officials and spiritual leaders commit an offence in that capacity, in recognition of the authority religious leaders hold in their community.
Laws to strengthen firearms legislation, establish a gun buyback scheme, and give the Minister new grounds to refuse to grant or cancel a visa were also passed.