Members of Parliament wept as they returned early to honour the victims of the Bondi terror attack during condolence motions in both houses. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with family members of those who died, while Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and Shadow Education Minister Julian Leeser also held meetings with the victims' families.
Prime Minister Albanese is taking an all-or-nothing approach to his hate speech legislation, warning that if it does not pass tomorrow, it may not be revisited. The government had proposed combining hate crime and gun laws into a single omnibus bill, but faced opposition from the Coalition and Greens.
Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister Matt Thistlethwaite expressed disappointment at the decision to split the gun and hate crimes laws, stating that the government cannot continue “flogging a dead horse.” He noted that this is the government's second attempt at the legislation and that negotiations with the Coalition on hate speech reforms will continue.
One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson claimed the Bondi attack did not happen “by chance” and blamed “extremist radical Islam.” She argued that Australia already has laws like section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act to address vilification and does not need new hate speech laws. Hanson also criticized migration policies, saying the country should scrutinize people before allowing them in.
Education Minister Jason Clare delivered an emotional speech to the House of Representatives, reading a passage written by his friend Jessica, who survived the attack at the Chanukah by the Sea event in Bondi with her daughter.
