Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese publicly apologized today for the recent shootings at Bondi Beach and announced sweeping reforms, Anadolu reports.

During a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Prime Minister Albanese said his government will work every day to protect Australian citizens.

“I feel the weight of responsibility for an atrocity that happened while I was prime minister. And I’m sorry,” he said. journalists, according to a transcript published on the prime minister’s website.

Albanese announced a series of legislative proposals aimed at strengthening protections against hate crimes and extremist activity, emphasizing broad consultation with both communities and Parliament.

The proposed measures include creating an aggravated criminal offense for preaching hate that supports violence against protected groups and increasing penalties for hate speech or support for violence and destruction of property.

The Government is considering giving powers to cancel visas for individuals who engage in hate speech, display hate symbols or associate with terrorist or banned groups. According to the prime minister, they are seeking to amend the Customs Act to ban extremist material or hate symbols.

Albanese added that state and territory officials are working together to coordinate changes to gun law reforms. On Sunday, Albanese said the country’s federal intelligence and law enforcement agencies would be reviewed after the Dec. 14 mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach.

The review will be completed in April and made public. Last week, a father and son opened fire on a Sydney beach, killing 15 people and injuring 42 others. The police described the incident as a “terrorist attack”.

Kaynak: prizrenpost