Hate law showdown while Albanese takes poll hit
Laws enacting a gun buyback are expected to pass in a snap two-day recall of federal parliament, but a proposed hate speech bill is proving more contentious.
Source: Anthony Albanese
Politicians will return to Canberra early to they pay respects to the victims of the Bondi terror attack and try to rush through legislation to ensure it never happens again.
Parliament will be recalled on Monday to mark a condolence motion for the victims of the December 14 massacre, during which 15 people were killed by gunmen targeting a Jewish celebration.
The House of Representatives will convene as the first two major polls of the year show Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s personal standing with voters has taken a hit since the Bondi tragedy.
The first Newspoll conducted for The Australian since November shows Albanese’s personal approval rating down five points to 42 per cent and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley’s up two to 28 per cent.
The Newspoll has One Nation (up seven to 22 per cent) ahead of the Coalition (down three to 21 per cent) on primary vote, with Labor down four to 32 per cent and the Greens down one to 12 per cent.
The Resolve Political Monitor poll for Nine Newspapers, conducted following the Bondi massacre, shows Albanese’s approval rating down five points to 35 per cent.
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It has Labor’s primary vote down two points to 30 per cent, followed by the Coalition (steady at 28 per cent), One Nation (up two to 18 per cent) and the Greens (down two to 10 per cent).
The government initially planned to introduce an omnibus bill criminalising hate speech and strengthening gun laws, before widespread opposition from across the political aisle forced a weekend move to split the legislation into two.
The firearms legislation will enable a promised gun buyback, which was agreed in a national cabinet deal with the states and territories to tighten gun laws following the attack.
One of the gunmen, Sajid Akram, was a licensed holder of six firearms despite his son and accused fellow attacker Naveed having previously been on the radar of ASIO for links to Islamic extremists.
Fresh figures from the Department of Home Affairs showed there are a record 4.1 million firearms in Australia – more than at the time of the Port Arthur massacre in 1996.
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Both bills will be introduced to the House of Representatives on Tuesday morning, when they will be quickly sent to the Senate thanks to Labor’s majority in the lower house.
A parliamentary inquiry called to conduct a snap review into the proposed legislation is also due to report back by Monday morning.
With the Greens’ support, the government expects the gun legislation to be enshrined into law, but the fate of the hate speech changes is less clear.
Labor maintains hope it can strike a deal with the opposition to usher the contentious legislation through the Senate on Tuesday evening, but senators are preparing for a marathon sitting that could drag on into Wednesday morning.
The Greens oppose the hate speech measures, concerned they will risk political freedoms such as the ability to protest Israel’s war in Gaza, as well as changes increasing the power of the home affairs minister to cancel visas.
The Coalition has signalled it is willing to salvage Labor’s “failed laws” but its MPs are worried about the impact on freedom of speech, even after a contentious racial vilification component was removed.
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-with AAP
