It is the "toughest laws Australians ever had," said Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke
The Australian Senate has passed a new "controversial" law that will imprison people found guilty of some terrorism offenses or displaying "terror symbols," with critics fearing that the legislation will disproportionately harm marginalized people in the country.
Individuals convicted of terrorism-related offenses, financing terrorism, or displaying terror symbols will face mandatory prison sentences under new legislation passed on Thursday by both the Labour and opposition parties.
Critics argue that the law may unfairly impact Australia's marginalized communities while also being inconsistent with Australian tradition, according to SBS News.
Liberal MP Andrew Hastie criticized the legislation, arguing that allowing politicians to determine punishments in any given case is extremely risky.
The "toughest laws Australians ever had," coined by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, specify a one-year mandatory sentence for showing Nazi or terrorist symbols, three years for terrorism financing, and six years for other terrorism-related crimes, the broadcaster reported.
The law comes amid the rise of cases of antisemitism in Australia.
This new law's stance on mandatory jail time also contradicts Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's Labor Party platform, which states that minimum sentencing is "discriminatory in practice."
"We want people who are engaged in antisemitic activities to be caught, to be charged, and put in the clink. That's my priority," Albanese was quoted as saying by SBS while defending the law.
Separately, the Israeli Foreign Ministry praised Australia on the legislation, stating that “no Jew in Australia, or anywhere in the world, should have to live in fear,” according to the media outlet.
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini says cooperation with Azerbaijan is moving beyond formal diplomacy, with new opportunities emerging in energy, defen...
A woman whose husband was sucked out of the window of a plane during a Ryanair flight has recounted pulling her husband to safety. Serbian couple Svet...
Keir Starmer has reaffirmed that the UK's "unwavering" support for Ukraine will continue, during his final visit to the country as Prime Minister....
Australia will establish an Office of AI to coordinate artificial intelligence standards and oversee major data centres as the government prepares new laws on their energy and water use, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday (15 July).
Australia's internet safety regulator has accused some of the world's biggest technology companies of failing to do enough to combat child sexual abuse and the growing threat of online sexual extortion.
New Zealand actor Sam Neill, best known internationally for his role in 'Jurassic Park', died suddenly on Monday aged 78 after recovering from cancer, his family said.
Australia on Friday confirmed the first case of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus in a native seabird, marking a new phase in the disease's spread after it landed on the country's shores last month.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on all Iranian ports and warned that power plants and bridges could be targeted next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
The United States carried out a third consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz as Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping and proposed a 20% fee on cargo passing through the strategic waterway.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
The death toll from the fire at a live music pub in Bangkok has climbed to 32 after two more victims died from their injuries, according to Thailand's Police Hospital.
Ukraine and Russia exchanged fresh attacks on Tuesday, with Kyiv targeting shipping and energy infrastructure inside Russia while Moscow launched another large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukrainian cities.
Keir Starmer has reaffirmed that the UK's "unwavering" support for Ukraine will continue, during his final visit to the country as Prime Minister.
Two British hackers who carried out a cyberattack on Transport for London (TfL) that cost the transport authority £29 million to remediate have been jailed for a total of 11 years.
At least 11 people have been killed and 19 injured in a fire at an orphanage on the outskirts of the Algerian capital, state media reported. The blaze broke out early on Thursday at the institution in the eastern suburbs of Algiers.
A woman whose husband was sucked out of the window of a plane during a Ryanair flight has recounted pulling her husband to safety. Serbian couple Svetlana Maksimovic and Ljubisa Karovic had just settled into a flight with the airline last week, when a loud bang pierced the hum of engines.
Russia launched a fresh wave of missile strikes on Ukraine early on Thursday, saying it had hit military and industrial facilities in Kyiv, as well as key port infrastructure in the southern Odesa region.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment