After Bondi Beach Attack, Australia's NSW State Passes Sweeping Laws Curbing Free Speech and Protests

How much freedom is a society willing to trade for security? In the wake of a deadly mass shooting, Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales (NSW), has passed legislation introducing the nation's toughest gun laws alongside wide-reaching new restrictions on free speech. The bill, rushed through parliament in the early hours of Wednesday, December 24, comes less than two weeks after the Bondi Beach attack that left 15 people dead and appears to target speech in solidarity with Palestinians.

Sweeping New Police Powers

The Terrorism and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 grants police significant new powers. According to an NSW government statement, authorities can now restrict public protests for up to three months following a “terrorism declaration,” and the public display of symbols from prohibited organizations will be banned. NSW Premier Chris Minns acknowledged the changes were significant, stating, “our state has changed following the horrific anti-Semitic attack on Bondi Beach and our laws must change too.” The statement explicitly singled out the words “globalise the Intifada,” a phrase often used in pro-Palestinian advocacy, as an example of speech that will be banned.

Constitutional Challenge and Backlash

The laws have sparked an immediate backlash. A coalition of three advocacy groups—Palestine Action Group Sydney, the Indigenous group Blak Caucus, and Jews Against the Occupation ’48—announced they would file a constitutional legal challenge against what they called “draconian anti-protest laws.” They accused the NSW government of “exploiting the horrific Bondi attack to advance a political agenda that suppresses political dissent and criticism of Israel.”

The move comes months after Australia joined over 145 other UN member states in recognizing Palestinian statehood in September. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted for alleged war crimes by the ICC, linked the shooting to this recognition. However, UN special rapporteur Ben Saul urged a “measured response,” warning that “overreach does not make us safer – it lets terror win.”