Australia has enacted new laws for a national gun buyback, tighter background checks for gun licenses, and a crackdown on hate crimes in response to the country’s worst mass shooting in decades at a Jewish festival last month.
Two bills for stricter gun control and anti-hate measures passed the House of Representatives and Senate late on Tuesday during a special sitting of parliament.
The gun control laws were passed with the support of the Greens party despite opposition from the opposition conservative Liberal-National coalition. The anti-hate laws were passed with support from the Liberal Party.
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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks on the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026 during a federal parliament sitting following the Bondi terror attack at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, January 20, 2026. via REUTERS
Introducing the gun reforms, Home Affairs Minister Tony
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