TRANSCRIPT
- The New South Wales Premier defends new anti-protest measures after the Bondi shooting
- Federal government says reforms are responding to the motive and method of Bondi attackers
- The vice-captain of the Australian Women's Cricket Team admits she is going through the toughest period of her career
The New South Wales Premier defends new anti-protest measures after the Bondi shooting
Federal government says reforms are responding to the motive and method of Bondi attackers
And in sports, the vice-captain of the Australian Women's Cricket Team admits she is going through the toughest period of her career
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has defended new anti-protest measures against criticism that they are undemocratic and won't promote safety.
A coalition of civil society groups say they are planning a legal challenge against the proposed laws, which are currently being debated and could become law by early tomorrow.
The measures include a ban on public assemblies that could extend to three months - if a terrorist incident is formally declared under the Terrorism (Police Powers) Act 2002.
The reforms would also designate the chant "globalise the intifada" as hate speech.
Mr Minns says he believes the measures are needed.
"It will be a clear message and clear progress to keep the people of New South Wales safe. Changes to protests in order to lower the temperature in Sydney. And a bit of acknowledgment that in some cases, words lead to actions. Now I have seen resistance to the government's legislative agenda in recent days. And I understand the concepts behind it. But I want to make the point that in virtually all aspects of government policy that words lead to actions."
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Labor MP Stephen Lawrence has rejected comments made by Premier Chris Minns - and others - that link pro-Palestinian protests to the Bondi terror attack.
A member of the upper house of state parliament, Mr Lawrence told the chamber, it is a mistake to conflate the two.
"We see people suggesting that people marching across the Harbour Bridge were somehow part of an event that a straight line can be drawn from to these heinous events at Bondi. This wrong suggestion of a connection fails to even grapple with the significance of the events that people were protesting about. The overwhelming majority of those who protested did so to save human life. Because they had a focus on common humanity in respect of events occurring overseas."
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Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says the government is responding to the Bondi attack by focusing reforms on the alleged motivation and method of the attackers.
Mr Burke says reforms are based around gun reform and hate speech, with state leaders and law enforcement now working together on legislative changes.
As well as the National Firearms Register, the government is also accelerating the establishment of a Hate Crimes Database.
As part of reforms to tackle hate speech, Mr Burke says the threshold for hate related offences will be lowered.
"Organisations like Hizb ut-Tahrir and the Neo-Nazis, for a generation have managed to keep themselves just on the legal side of Australian law but never on the side of the Australian community. That the thresholds will be lowered to allow them to be listed organisations under a new regime so that even if you don't satisfy the definition of terrorism, you can still be listed as an organisation which is not able to operate in Australia."
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New South Wales Police Probationary Constable Jack Hibbert has been discharged from hospital after he was injured while responding to the Bondi Beach mass shooting which killed 15 people.
His family has put out a statement describing his release before Christmas as a "miracle", and thanking the community, emergency services and medical staff.
The 22-year-old was one of the first officers on the scene of the attack, and was critically injured and treated in intensive care before his release.
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In cricket, Australia vice-captain Tahlia McGrath has admitted she is going through the toughest period of her career, low on confidence after a difficult World Cup.
Left without a One Day International or T20 World Cup trophy for the first time in eight years, Australia return to the field in February with a home multi-format series against India.
Australia's next global event is a T20 World Cup in England in June.
McGrath says she wasn't happy with her performance at the ODI World Cup and Women's Big Bash League, and that has knocked her confidence.
But the 30-year-old says is looking forward to turning things around, as she switches her attention to her state side South Australia in the Women's National Cricket League.
She will be available for six matches before the first Twenty20 International against India on February 15.
