Strongest hate speech laws to make Australians safer following Bondi attack, says Albanese

CANBERRA, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday that hate speech laws passed by the federal parliament in response to the Bondi Beach terror attack will make Australians safer.

Albanese told reporters on Wednesday morning that the hate speech laws, which were passed by the parliament on Tuesday night, are the strongest that have ever been in place in Australia.

"We have prioritized national unity and national healing," he said. "We want to make sure that light triumphs over darkness."

The laws that were proposed in the wake of the attack at Bondi Beach on Dec. 14 give the federal government additional powers to ban groups deemed to spread hate, increase penalties for preachers who advocate or threaten violence and expand powers to deny or revoke visas for people with extremist views.

Albanese recalled the parliament from its summer break two weeks early to debate the legislation and it was passed on Tuesday night by the governing Labor Party with the support of the opposition Liberal Party.

The conservative Liberal Party had initially ruled out supporting the legislation, but provided the requisite votes in the Senate after Albanese agreed to changes to address concerns that the laws could restrict freedom of speech.

Albanese said on Wednesday that it was time for Australians to "come together" ahead of Thursday's national day of mourning for the victims and all those impacted by the Bondi attack.