2025-12-24
The NSW Parliament is the first state Parliament to pass essential gun control laws following the anti-Semitic mass shooting at Bondi Beach and it now needs to be followed by legislative action across the country.
These laws were made stronger by a Greens amendment that will keep firearms out of the hands of people investigated for terrorism related offenses and are a much needed gun safety win for the community.
In a deeply political act, the NSW Labor Party also attached a broad ranging attack on the right to protest to the gun laws, in a move that many informed commentators described as unconstitutional.
The attack on protest will not not make Australia safer, and is part of a broader false political narrative linking the actions of the appalling two terrorist shooters to a global movement to end violence, oppose a genocide and demand justice. The Greens and millions of Australians who join us in the peace movement, reject these attacks on protest, humanity and global justice.
Lines attributable to Greens Justice Spokesperson and Senator for NSW, David Shoebridge:
“The Greens welcome the passage of tougher firearm laws in NSW to stop hoarding of high-powered weapons in our suburbs and acknowledge the hard work of gun safety advocates for decades that has helped achieve this.
“The Greens unanimous amendment strengthens the laws by making it clear no one investigated for terrorism, or living with or linked to proscribed people, should be granted a firearms permit. Guns are a privilege, never a right in our society.
“What we now need is concerted national action so that all states and territories meet, or better, NSW gun safety changes and the Federal government to show leadership with a generous gun buyback and an urgent national firearms register.
“The attacks on free speech and protest that NSW also passed are divisive and dangerous politics from Labor, with most informed observers saying they are likely unconstitutional.
“Peaceful rallies against a genocide, to protect children and call for a just peace have been an essential safety valve in our society for decades, giving dissent and humanity a legitimate and powerful political outlet. These blatantly political attempts by Labor and the Coalition to stop peaceful protest are dangerous, ill-considered and likely to fail in the High Court.”
Lines attributable to Greens Deputy Leader and Senator for NSW, Senator Mehreen Faruqi:
“While these are welcome and necessary steps on gun reform following the horrific violence in Bondi, these important advances are being overshadowed by the Minns’ Labor government’s deeply troubling move to restrict peaceful protest.
“The Palestine justice movement and anti-genocide protests, made up of hundreds of thousands people and including many Jewish community members, have consistently and loudly opposed antisemitism and all forms of racism. Smearing it is a distortion of reality and it is reckless and dangerous.
“This is a time when unity, solidarity and meaningful leadership are needed, not authoritarianism nor the undermining of democracy, which depends on our right to assemble, to speak out, and to protest.”
Lines attributable to Leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Larissa Waters:
“NSW’s firearm reforms should be the impetus for state and federal action on gun control. As a nation we can build on the last gun buy-back, strengthen our gun laws to keep communities safer, and at the same time tackle antisemitism, racism and radicalisation.
“We need to take action to stop antisemitism, racism, radicalisation and gun violence, to stamp out both the hateful ideologies and dangerous weapons used to commit the horrific Bondi attack.
“The Greens will work across parliaments to ensure communities are safe from gun violence with fewer dangerous weapons, a national firearms register and strict limits on gun numbers, and we will always defend the right to peaceful protest.
“Falsely conflating those legions of Australians who peacefully marched against violence in Gaza with the criminal actions of radicalised individuals is a dangerous path. Australians want peace and justice at home and abroad, and the NSW restrictions on democratic rights to peacefully protest take the wrong lesson from this horrific terror attack. Community and political unity is what is needed right now.