Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the country will tighten legislation against the spread of hateful messages on a broad front.
This will require complex legal work, he said, according to ABC News .
People who want to travel to the country will in future be able to have their visa application denied due to expressing hateful or violent views.
“Exploited freedom of expression”
The new legislation will also, among other things, give the authorities the opportunity to keep records of organizations whose leaders have expressed hateful or violent messages and also prosecute them, without them having committed acts of violence.
"There have been individuals who have abused freedom of expression and used language that is dehumanizing, unacceptable and has no place in Australia," Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said at a press conference.
New laws against anti-Semitism are also in the works.
Deputy Immigration Minister Matt Thistlethwaite tells the ABC that the government will introduce a number of measures to strengthen current legislation in the coming days and weeks.
Received criticism
The basis for the measures is a report submitted to the government in July by the country's special envoy against anti-Semitism.
We have implemented some of the key points in the report, but there is more to do. This will be the basis for further work,” says Thistlethwaite.
The Australian government, led by Prime Minister Albanese, has received criticism from the opposition for not doing enough to stop anti-Semitism in the country.
15 people were killed when two men opened fire on Chanukah celebrations on Sydney's popular Bondi Beach on Sunday. One of the perpetrators was shot dead by police while the other is being treated in hospital under police guard.
