Australia calls early parliamentary session after antisemitic attack in Sydney

Monday 12 January 2026 - 08:30

By: Sahili Aya

Australia calls early parliamentary session after antisemitic attack in Sydney

The Australian Parliament will convene earlier than planned to fast-track new legislation aimed at combating extremism and tightening gun control, following a deadly antisemitic attack in Sydney, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Monday.

Both chambers of Parliament are set to meet on January 19 and 20, nearly two weeks ahead of schedule. Lawmakers were initially due to return on February 3. The decision comes in response to an attack that targeted a crowd gathered on Sydney’s Bondi Beach on December 14 during celebrations marking the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.

Speaking at a press conference, Albanese said the attackers were driven by hatred and had access to firearms, stressing that the proposed laws are intended to address both radical ideology and the availability of weapons. The government plans to introduce new criminal offences targeting hate preachers, expand bans on extremist symbols, and establish a revised list of prohibited extremist organizations.

The draft legislation would also grant the Interior Ministry broader powers to deny or cancel visas for individuals suspected of inciting hatred. In parallel, the government is preparing a major firearm buyback program, expected to be the largest since the initiative launched after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, when hundreds of thousands of weapons were collected nationwide.

These measures will complement a royal commission of inquiry announced last week, which will examine intelligence failures and the rise of antisemitism in Australia. Further details of the proposed laws are expected to be released shortly.