Australian PM pushes for tougher gun laws after anti-Semitic terror attack

Prime Minister PM Anthony Albanese on Monday said the issue of tougher gun laws would be taken up at a meeting of the National Cabinet signalling a possible tightening of Australiarsquos already strict firearms regulations following the deadly antiSemitic terror attack at Sydneyrsquos Bondi Beach news agency ANI reportedSpeaking to the media ahead of the National Cabinet meeting scheduled for 4 pm local time Albanese said stricter gun controlsmdashincluding limits on the number of firearms licensed to individuals and periodic reviews of licencesmdashwould be placed on the agendaldquoThis afternoon at four orsquoclock I will put on the agenda of the National Cabinet tougher gun laws including limits on the number of guns that can be used or licensed by individuals a review of licences over a period of timerdquo he statedStressing the need for continuous oversight PM Albanese added ldquoPeoplersquos circumstances change People can be radicalised over a period of time Licences should not be in perpetuityrdquoAlbanese said the federal government would present a proposal aimed at strengthening monitoring mechanismsldquoThe Australian government will take to National Cabinet this afternoon a proposal to empower agencies to examine what can be done in this areardquo he saidAustralia mass shooting 24yearold attacker undergoing treatment in hospitalLater in the day Albanese convened the National Cabinet in response to what he described as an act of terror and antisemitism at Bondi Beach ANI reportedIn a post on X the Prime Minister said ldquoToday I convened National Cabinet to respond to the act of terror and antisemitism in Bondi last night We stand with Jewish Australians and we stand against hatred and violence Australia is stronger than those who try to divide us and we will come through this togetherrdquoThe attack targeted members of the Jewish community who had gathered at Bondi Beach to mark Hanukkah celebrations according to CNNAuthorities have declared the incident a terrorist attack As per the latest update from New South Wales Health 27 people remain hospitalised across Sydney after being injured in the mass shooting CNN reportedInvestigators said the attack was carried out by a fatherson duo Police shot and killed the father at the scene while the 24yearold son is undergoing treatment in hospital ANI reportedOfficials said the son who was born in Australia had previously been assessed by the countryrsquos domestic intelligence agency ASIO which at the time found no indication that he posed a threat of engaging in violence The father who arrived in Australia in 1998 held a recreational hunting licence and was a member of a gun club CNN reportedNew South Wales Premier Chris Minns has vowed an ldquooverwhelmingrdquo response to the attack as security remains heightened across the countryAustralia already enforces some of the worldrsquos toughest gun laws introduced nearly three decades ago after a mass shooting in Tasmania that killed 35 people The incident prompted sweeping reforms within weeks sharply restricting gun ownership and introducing strict licensing rules according to CNNOfficial data from the Australian Institute of Criminology shows that between July 2023 and June 2024 Australia recorded 31 gunrelated murders translating to a homicide rate of 009 per 100000 peopleWith ANI inputs