Australia authorizing Police to arrest Citizens who post “Propaganda” Online

The Australian Parliament has passed two new bills that will set up a national gun buyback scheme, and authorize police to arrest citizens who post ‘hate speech’ or ‘misinformation’ online.

In Australia’s lower house, the gun buyback bill passed 96 to 45 with the Liberal-National Coalition opposing, while the hate and extremism-focused bill passed with amendments, securing 116 votes to just seven.

Zerohedge.com reports: Later on the evening of Jan. 20, both bills made it through the Senate. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote on X that the government was standing against hate and strengthening national security.

The Combating Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026 introduces not only the national gun buyback scheme, but new restrictions around background checks, the sale of firearm types, and new offenses relating to accessing information online about firearms, ammunition, and accessories.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke told parliament that had such measures been in place earlier, the Bondi Beach attackers would not have been able to legally obtain weapons.

The father of the terrorist duo, Sajid Akram, owned six firearms, despite his son being interviewed and cleared by intelligence agencies over concerns of radicalization.

Independent MP Zali Steggall sought to ensure firearms background checks explicitly included criminal history or proceedings relating to domestic violence or AVO’s issued in local courts.

Bob Katter, the federal MP of Kennedy, moved an amendment that would automatically revoke a firearm license for anyone placed on an ASIO watchlist. That amendment was defeated, 88 votes to 13.

Katter, who opposed the broader reforms, blamed the Bondi attack on failures in the immigration system and argued the legislation undermined gun ownership.

If they get their way, then the only people that will have guns are the people in uniforms. And we know what sort of society that is, that the only people that have guns are the people in uniforms.

Nationals leader David Littleproud opposed the bill, describing it as a diversion.

This is nothing more than a cheap political diversion, a cheap political diversion that is not facing up to the real problem in this country, which is radical religions, Littleproud said.

He argued the Bondi attack reflected failures in enforcement rather than licensing.

(((((((((((((  Victims only need to Feel Fear under New Hate Laws )))))))))))))

The Combating Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026 also passed with amendments from the opposition.

The legislation introduces a new federal offense making it illegal to publicly promote or incite racial hatred where the conduct would cause a reasonable person to feel intimidated, harassed or fearful of violence.

The offense applies to speech, symbols, gestures and online communication targeting people because of the race, color or national or ethnic origin of the target.

Maximum penalties of up to five years’ imprisonment apply, with higher penalties for aggravated offenses, including cases involving religious officials or attempts to radicalize children.

A narrow defense applies where speech or writing consists solely of quoting religious texts for teaching or discussion.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley confirmed Liberal MP’s supported the amended bill.

In the national interest, the Liberal party has today stepped up to fix legislation that the Albanese government badly mishandled, Ley said in a statement issued after passing of the bill.

Ley said the amendments narrowed the bill’s scope to antisemitism and religious extremism, ensured new powers focused on serious criminal conduct, and required consultation with the opposition before extremist organizations could be listed or de-listed.

Independent Teal MP Allegra Spender criticized both major parties for removing anti-vilification provisions from the bill, saying those measures had been sought by Jewish community groups and the government’s antisemitism envoy.

My question is, what are the mechanisms you are saying that we can use now because you have rejected something that the Jewish community has been calling for a long time.

Spender warned that the current law was not specific enough, arguing Muslim and other migrant groups could be made to feel suspect by association by failing to confront hateful individuals and ideologies directly.

We drift towards a culture of guilt by association rather than accountability.

Independent MP Helen Haines also raised concerns about the legislative process.

The inquiry into this bill was only tabled this morning. But the consequence of haste, as a legislator, is the missed opportunity to carefully consider and improve this significant legislation.

News Punch / ABC Flash Point News 2026.