The federal government has announced it will split up its sweeping omnibus bill on gun laws, hate crimes and other reforms, and abandon racial vilification provisions from it, after both the Coalition and Greens flagged they would not support it.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recalled politicians back to Canberra two weeks early in an attempt to pass the legislation next week.
Created in response to the Bondi terror attack last month, the bill's proposals included making it a crime to "publicly promote or incite hatred" or "disseminate ideas of superiority or hatred towards another person or group of people based on their race, colour, or national or ethnic origin".
It would give the home affairs minister the ability to refuse or cancel visas on character grounds, and prohibit groups found to be engaging in or advocating hate crimes based on race, nationality or ethnic origin.
It would also allow extra security checks for people obtaining firearms, and establish a national gun buyback scheme, among other measures.
But the legislation — which needed the support of either the Coalition or the Greens — faced an uphill battle to get through, after Opposition leader Sussan Ley said the proposed measures were "half-baked" and that the legislation looked "unsalvageable".
Opposition leader Sussan Ley said the bill was "unsalvageable" in its current form. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas
The minor party said it would not support the bill in its previous form due to concerns raised by legal experts, faith groups and the community, and had concerns about "the potential for unintended consequences, unanswered questions about the impact on political freedoms, and the exclusion of many groups from its protections".
Greens home affairs spokesperson David Shoebridge said he was particularly concerned that visas could be cancelled or refused without "even the pretence of fair process", saying the party won't support legislation that "scapegoats migrants".
On Saturday, Albanese confirmed that gun reforms would be separated into a separate bill to ensure their passage.
"I had a discussion with [Greens leader] Larissa Waters yesterday afternoon where she informed me about where they had landed, that they would vote for the gun laws but would not vote for the other parts of the legislation," Albanese told reporters in Canberra.
"We'll separate out the bills," Albanese said. "The gun laws will be separate and then the laws on hate crimes and migration will proceed."
Albanese also confirmed that the government would abandon racial vilification offences from the bill, as it was clear it did not have broad enough support.
"The hate crimes legislation will continue, the racial vilification laws do not have the support of the Senate," he said.
"We will only proceed with measures that have the support of the parliament and are likely to receive that," Albanese said.
The legislation will be introduced to parliament on Tuesday.
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