Sydney, January 21, 2026 – The Europe Today: Australia’s Parliament on Tuesday passed a comprehensive package of gun laws, marking the most significant firearms reforms in the country in recent years, following last month’s deadly shooting at a Hanukkah festival at Bondi Beach, media reports said.
The reforms include a national gun buyback program, stricter background checks, and tighter restrictions on firearm imports. The House of Representatives approved the legislation by a 96–45 vote, and the package subsequently passed the Senate. Lawmakers returned to session two weeks early to debate the reforms.
The Bondi Beach shooting, which left 15 people dead, was carried out by 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram, both of whom legally owned the firearms used in the attack. Authorities have cited anti-Semitism as the motivation behind the attack.
Australia’s Minister of Home Affairs, Tony Burke, said the new legislation would have prevented the tragedy. The proposed national gun buyback program aims to reduce Australia’s approximately four million registered firearms.
In addition to the gun reforms, Parliament approved a bill intended to curb hate speech. However, the legislation has drawn criticism from civil rights advocates who warn it could suppress free speech. “This bill will have a chilling and draconian effect on political debate, on protest, on civil rights and on people speaking up against human rights abuses perpetrated by Israel or any other nation-state,” said Senator Mehreen Faruqi, deputy leader of the Greens party.
The new measures signal Australia’s resolve to strengthen public safety while navigating ongoing debates around freedom of expression and civil liberties.
