NSW passes tough gun and protest laws after Bondi attack
NSW passes tough gun and protest laws after Bondi attack
New South Wales approves sweeping gun controls and protest bans in response to the Bondi Beach massacre, sparking debate over safety and civil liberties.
After a marathon session, New South Wales lawmakers approved a sweeping omnibus bill that overhauls gun ownership rules and gives police broader powers to curb street protests. The changes were pushed in the wake of the Bondi Beach massacre, when two gunmen attacked a Hanukkah event, killing 15 people. The vote in the upper house came at 2:51 am, with 18 in favor and eight against. The Liberals joined Labor in backing the package; Nationals and Shooters opposed, Greens abstained.
The gun reforms tighten ownership limits: most holders can own up to four firearms, while farmers and professional shooters would be capped at ten; license holders must be Australian citizens; firearms that allow rapid-fire without reloading—similar to those used by the alleged attackers—will be banned; licences must be renewed every two years, increasing police scrutiny. Appeals against police licence refusals will be curtailed.
In a separate but tied provision, the bill grants the state police commissioner expanded powers to ban street protests for up to 14 days and, after a terrorism determination, up to three months. Critics warn the measures could chill lawful assembly, while supporters say they are a necessary response to a terrorism threat and mass violence. The ban targets street marches, with the government noting protests on beaches or parks were not covered by this measure, a point of contention during the debate.
Lawmakers pressed the government to explain how the omnibus bill would be implemented and monitored, given the breadth of amendments across multiple laws. Because the legislation was bundled together, parliamentarians were forced to vote it up or down rather than split it into separate bills. The outcome signals a shift toward tougher security measures in New South Wales, but it also invites ongoing scrutiny from civil liberties groups and opposition voices.
