Gun crackdown and controversial protest laws to be passed in NSW despite Coalition split over firearms | Bondi beach terror attack

Gun laws will be significantly tightened in New South Wales and protests will be restricted for up to three months, under the police commissioner’s orders, under a set of urgent legislation tabled in the state parliament in the wake of the Bondi attack.

The bill is being debated in the lower house on Monday and is expected to pass with the support of the NSW Liberal party and move through the upper house on Tuesday.

However, NSW citizens are expected to oppose the legislation due to the impact gun restrictions will have on farmers and gun use in rural NSW.

The main elements of the gun-related changes are: a limit of four guns per person, except for professional shooters who can own up to 10 guns; biennial renewal of licenses; Banning belt magazines and expanding the shooting club membership requirement for most license categories to expand informal control of gun owners in NSW.

Changes to protest laws have already come under harsh criticism from civil liberties groups and the Greens.

The legislation gives the NSW police commissioner, with ministerial approval, the power to ban protests for three months after a terrorist attack.

This law allows police to ban protests in a particular area and across the state, and gives police new powers to remove face masks.

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The bill also introduces new offenses for the use of certain expressions; The prime minister suggests this will include “globalizing the intifada.”

National Party leader Gurmesh Singh said on Monday morning that his party would not support the changes, which he said would “impose arbitrary limits and not give our regional businesses the tools they need to do their jobs.”

“The proposed reforms would not have stopped last Sunday’s attack and would not have failed
Address the root cause of the problem, which is antisemitism,” he said. Citizens’ opposition to the bill comes after NSW Farmers and armed organizations spoke out against the changes.

On Monday, Greens justice spokeswoman Sue Higginson described the anti-protest laws as “the most brutal, authoritarian anti-protest laws this country has ever seen”.

Speaking outside parliament, Merkel said: “I have no doubt that this power that the Prime Minister is asking the NSW parliament to pass today and tomorrow is unconstitutional.” Guardian Australia understands the Greens will take changes to the bill to the upper house.

In a statement released after a party room meeting on Monday morning, Sloane said the Liberals would support the bill, but added that the opposition had “serious reservations about the way the government has pushed this legislation through parliament”.

“Dissent and cross-assessments clearly show a lack of meaningful engagement with key stakeholders, including stakeholders and those responsible for implementation.”

The shadow attorney general has signaled the Liberals may propose changes to toughen the laws further.

The NSW parliament reconvened on Monday and Tuesday this week to quickly implement the changes. Prime Minister Chris Minns, who expressed his condolences for the 15 victims of the attack at the start of the session, told MPs: “We have to make these changes.”

“I know I speak on behalf of all members of this parliament when I say to the Jewish people of this state, this is your home, this has always been your home, and we must do everything we can to make sure you are safe and protected in this city.”

More details coming soon…