Less than two weeks after the deadly Bondi attack that killed 15 people, Australia&rsquo;s New South Wales government has rushed through some of the toughest gun and protest laws in the country, arguing that extraordinary measures are needed to restore public safety. The legislation, passed in the early hours of Wednesday, dramatically expands police powers while tightening restrictions on firearms and public assembly.
At the heart of the changes is a new provision allowing police to restrict protests for up to three months following a terrorism declaration. Authorities will also be empowered to move people on if their presence is deemed to cause fear, harassment or intimidation, and the public display of symbols linked to prohibited organisations will be banned. The government has said that once such a declaration is made, &ldquo;no public assemblies can be authorised in designated areas.&rdquo;
Premier Chris Minns acknowledged the scale of the shift, saying the laws involve &ldquo;very significant changes that not everyone will agree with,&rdquo; but insisted the state had been irrevocably altered by the Bondi attack. He added that reviewing hate speech and tightening gun ownership, particularly limiting certain firearms to agricultural use, would help &ldquo;calm a combustible situation.&rdquo;
Civil liberties groups, however, say the laws go far beyond security. Palestinian, Jewish and Indigenous organisations have announced plans to challenge the legislation in court, warning it grants &ldquo;sweeping powers to effectively ban protests&rdquo; and suppress political dissent. UN special rapporteur Ben Saul urged restraint, cautioning that &ldquo;overreach does not make us safer it lets terror win,&rdquo; as the debate over security versus democratic freedoms intensifies.

New gun curbs, protest limits spark backlash over free speech in Australia’s largest state

NSW Pushes Sweeping Post-Bondi Laws

New gun curbs, protest limits spark backlash over free speech in Australia’s largest state

December 24, 2025 | 19:02 IST