Australian Parliament Recalled Early to Enact Response to Bondi Terror Attack

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has recalled federal Parliament early to legislate his agenda in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack on Dec. 14, 2025.

In a press conference on Jan. 12, the prime minister said he will write to the Speaker of the House of Representatives Milton Dick to sit on Jan. 19 (Monday) and Jan. 20 (Tuesday).

A condolence motion is the first order of business, and will serve to remember the victims and all others who were affected by the anti-Semitic massacre that claimed 15 lives and injured 40.

Albanese said he had reached agreement with the opposition on its wording.

“It will be an opportunity for the Parliament to come together and convey our sympathies to the loved ones of those murdered by these terrorists on Bondi Beach,” he said reporters in Canberra.

“The motion will unequivocally condemn the terrorist atrocity and commit our Parliament to eradicating the evil of anti-Semitism.”

New Bill Will Entrench Government’s Response to Bondi

Albanese said the government’s “Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026” will be introduced and legislates some of his earlier pledges to respond to Australia’s worst ever terror attack and anti-Semitism.

It will create serious offences for hate preachers trying to radicalise children, increase penalties for hate crimes, ensure “extremism” can be a motivating factor in sentencing, create new offences for “inciting hatred,” and strengthens a ban on prohibited symbols.

The home affairs minister will also have broader powers to cancel or refuse visas, and there will be a new framework to list “prohibited hate groups” that will make it an offence to be a member, recruit, or donate funds to the a group.

The national gun buyback scheme will also be on the agenda.

“These new laws going further than they ever have before,” Albanese told reporters. “We want to make it clear that conduct which is hateful, dangerous, and divisive will also be illegal.

“Just as anti-Semitism and racism are an offence against our Australian values, they should be an offence against Australian law. ”

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley criticised the decision to introduce a  single bill to cover “multiple complex and unrelated policy areas.”

“For example, issues of speech are clearly separate from the ownership and management of firearms,” she said.