The New South Wales state parliament of Australia was recalled on Monday to vote on proposed new laws that would smash major curbs on firearm ownership, ban the display of terror symbols, and restrict protests after the mass shooting on Sydney’s Bondi Beach last week.
No Limit On Gun Ownership in NSW at Present
Parliament was recalled for two days of debate on legislation capping at four the number of firearms any one person can own, or up to 10 in certain groups, such as farmers. Although Australia had some of the toughest gun control laws in the world following the 1996 shooting that killed 35, the Bondi shooting has shown what authorities say are gaps.
New South Wales as the most populous state doesn’t have any restrictions at present on the number of firearms a person is allowed to hold provided that they give a reasonable explanation to the police. Over 70 individuals in the state have more than 100 guns each, as per the figures from the police firearms registry. There is one licence holder who possesses 298 guns.
One of the reputed Bondi gunmen, Sajid Akram, 50, was shot dead by police and was the owner of six firearms. His 24-year-old son Naveed Akram has been charged with 59 offences including murder and terrorism, police said.
The two alleged gunmen had planned the attack for several months and threw bombs at the crowd though they did not detonate, Australian media reported, citing a police fact sheet released by an Australian court on Monday.
Police found a video taken in October on one of the gunmen’s mobile phones showing them sitting in front of an image of the Islamic State and making statements in English about their reasons for the attack, while condemning the acts of Zionists.
Attack Killed 15 People, Injured Dozens
A mass shooting at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on December 14 resulted in the deaths of 15 people, and many were wounded. The incident shook the whole nation, as there were demands for stricter gun laws and more measures to combat antisemitism.
The face mask ban would also include giving police the power to force people to remove face coverings if those people are attending a protest or rally. The state government has vowed to ban the chant “globalise the intifada” which it says encourages violence in the community.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns told reporters outside parliament that he expected opposition to the legislation, which includes restrictions on public assemblies in the aftermath of a terrorism event, but said it was needed to keep the community safe.
New South Wales has said it would hold a royal commission into the attack-the most powerful type of Australian government inquiry. Jewish leaders have called for a national inquiry. Those calls were backed by the opposition Liberal Party leader Sussan Ley on Monday, who told a news conference she has called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to meet with her to review the terms of reference for a royal commission.
Albanese’s Approval Ratings Slump
Albanese has been under a lot of stress from his adversaries who accuse his administration of a lack of action in dealing with the upsurge of antisemitism. At a memorial event in Bondi, he was booed by some members of the crowd. The event was attended by tens of thousands of people on Sunday, a week after the shooting.
Albanese’s government has said it has consistently denounced antisemitism and highlighted legislation passed over the past two years to criminalise hate speech and doxxing. It also expelled Iran’s ambassador earlier this year after accusing Tehran of directing antisemitic attacks in Sydney and Melbourne.
An opinion poll conducted for the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper among 1,010 voters released on Monday found Albanese’s approval rating dropped 15 points to -9 from +6 at the beginning of December-the lowest since his election win in May.
Authorities on Monday began removing flowers, candles, letters and other items left by the public at Bondi Beach. The tributes would be preserved for display at the Sydney Jewish Museum and the Australian Jewish Historical Society, authorities said.
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