• Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese proposes new laws to combat hate speech.
• The legislation follows a mass shooting at a Jewish festival that killed 15 people.
• Measures include harsher penalties for hate speech and new powers for the home affairs minister.
• The announcement came amidst rising concerns over antisemitism in the country.
• The shooting victims, including a 10-year-old girl, were mourned in emotional funerals.

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has introduced a sweeping initiative to crack down on hate speech following a devastating mass shooting at Bondi Beach, which claimed the lives of 15 individuals during a Jewish holiday festival. Albanese expressed that "Australians are shocked and angry," reinforcing the necessity for more stringent measures to combat hate and division, particularly in the wake of an incident linked to Islamic State extremists, as reported by South China Morning Post, Channel News Asia, BBC, and India Times.

The proposed legislation aims to facilitate charges against individuals promoting hate speech and violence while imposing tougher penalties. Measures will establish "aggravated hate speech" as a federal offense, with "hate" included as an aggravating factor in sentencing for online threats. The home affairs minister will also obtain new powers to cancel visas for those propagating hate, as detailed by Channel News Asia and BBC.

At a press conference in Canberra, Albanese stressed that every Jewish Australian should feel "safe, valued and respected," acknowledging criticism from the Jewish community regarding the government's previous inaction on rising antisemitism. "I accept my responsibility for the part in that as prime minister of Australia," he stated, as reported by South China Morning Post and India Times.

The aftermath of the attack has also seen political responses, including calls for urgent reforms on gun laws in New South Wales. The tragic shooting targeted Jewish attendees and has prompted a wave of renewed discourse surrounding antisemitism in Australia, emphasizing that "it could have been avoided," as expressed by one mourner at the funeral of the youngest victim, a 10-year-old girl named Matilda. This sentiment echoes widespread frustration within the community over the government's response to antisemitism before the tragedy, according to Channel News Asia and India Times.