• New South Wales has passed some of Australia's toughest gun laws following a mass shooting.
• The new laws will restrict individual gun ownership and allow police to limit protests after terrorist incidents.
• Controversial anti-protest laws are set to face constitutional challenges from various advocacy groups.
• The Bondi Beach shooting resulted in 15 fatalities, intensifying calls for legislative reform.
• Premier Chris Minns stated these reforms aim to enhance public safety and prevent similar incidents.

In the wake of the mass shooting at Bondi Beach, New South Wales (NSW) has enacted stringent gun regulations and anti-protest laws deemed among the toughest in Australia. The Terrorism and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 restricts most individual licenses to a maximum of four guns, while farmers may possess up to ten, limiting the public display of symbols associated with terrorist organizations. This legislative action comes after the tragic shooting that left 15 dead during a Hanukkah celebration on December 14, leading to escalating demands for stricter reforms, according to Channel News Asia, Reuters, and Al Jazeera.

The new laws empower police to impose protest bans for up to three months following a terrorist incident. This creates a framework for enhanced governmental oversight over public assemblies, leading significant advocacy groups to voice concerns about the implications for democratic rights. According to Premier Chris Minns, these laws are necessary to "keep the people of New South Wales safe", yet they have triggered significant backlash from various communities, including Palestinian solidarity and Indigenous groups, who argue that these changes suppress political dissent and disproportionately target certain groups, as stated by AA, Reuters, and Al Jazeera.

Several groups, including the Palestine Action Group Sydney and Jews Against the Occupation, have announced plans to file a constitutional challenge against the anti-protest laws, labeling them as "draconian." They argue that the Minns government's approach exploits the Bondi tragedy to curtail freedoms and silence critique of government actions regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict. Activist statements emphasize that these legal modifications pose a significant threat to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, according to Channel News Asia, Reuters, and AA.

The Bondi Beach shooting left 15 people dead and has been described as Australia's deadliest mass shooting in nearly three decades. The shooter, Sajid Akram, 50, was killed during police confrontation, while his son Naveed has been charged with multiple offenses, including murder and terrorism. The tragic event highlighted long-standing concerns regarding public safety and prompted swift political responses aimed at preventing further violence, reinforcing the NSW government’s resolve to introduce these sweeping legislative changes, as per information from Channel News Asia, Reuters, and Al Jazeera.