In a significant political concession, the federal Labor government will remove a controversial racial vilification offence and separate proposed gun control measures from its hate speech legislation.
Legislative Rewrite After Political Blockade
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the substantial changes to the government's hate crimes package on Saturday, January 17, 2026. The move comes after the original bill, formulated in response to the Bondi massacre, was blocked in parliament by both the Coalition and the Greens.
The Prime Minister stated that the government aims to introduce the revised legislation to the House of Representatives on the following Tuesday morning, with the intention of then sending it to the Senate for debate.
Key Changes to the Proposed Laws
The core amendment involves decoupling the gun reform measures from the hate speech laws. This split is a direct attempt to salvage the legislative agenda by addressing concerns from crossbench and opposition parties who opposed the combined approach.
Furthermore, the government will scrap the contentious racial hatred offence provision that had drawn criticism and contributed to the bill's initial failure. This represents a major backdown from the government's original position.
A Bid to Revive Critical Reforms
This strategic retreat is designed to revive parliamentary and public support for laws that were first promised in the wake of the tragic Bondi massacre. By presenting the measures as separate pieces of legislation, the Albanese government hopes to secure enough votes for passage.
The announcement signals a pivotal moment for the government's agenda, demonstrating a willingness to compromise on key elements to achieve progress on community safety and social cohesion reforms.
