In response to a deadly terrorist attack at Bondi Beach in December 2025, the Australian Parliament passed a suite of legislative reforms collectively known as the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Act 2026. The law was enacted on 20 January 2026 following an expedited parliamentary process, reflecting national urgency to strengthen Australia’s legal framework against extremist conduct and hate-motivated violence.
The legislation expands and intensifies Commonwealth criminal offences to address the spread of hatred, antisemitism, violent extremism and related behaviour. It increases penalties for hate crime offences and introduces new aggravated penalties for individuals, including preachers and leaders, who advocate or threaten violence based on hatred or extremist ideology. It also establishes a legal framework to designate and prohibit organisations that engage in conduct constituting a hate crime, allowing authorities to list such groups as prohibited under national law.
In parallel, amendments to migration law empower the Minister for Home Affairs to refuse or cancel visas on national-security, hate-speech or extremism-related grounds, affecting both prospective entrants and current permanent residents. These changes seek to prevent individuals who promote or facilitate extremist conduct from entering or remaining in Australia.
The legislative package also intersects with firearm controls and customs measures under the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Act 2026, including a National Gun Buyback Scheme, strengthened intelligence use in licensing decisions, and stricter importation controls on weapons and related materials.
While government officials emphasise the reforms as necessary to protect communities and social cohesion, human rights organisations have expressed concerns about procedural fairness and potential impacts on freedom of expression. The new laws include a two-year review period to assess effectiveness and safeguards.
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