Independent MP Bob Katter has accused the federal government of using gun control and hate-speech legislation as a diversion from what he described as systemic failures in migration, intelligence sharing and firearms licensing, following the passage of two contentious bills through parliament.
In a Facebook post, Katter said the new laws would further restrict “responsible gun owners” and risk freedom of speech, while doing nothing to prevent violent attacks such as the Bondi Junction stabbings.
He labelled the legislation a “Frankenstein”, arguing it focused on firearms ownership and speech rather than the causes of violent extremism. “None of these laws will do anything about preventing Bondi from occurring in the future,” he said.
The Queensland crossbencher claimed he and other MPs were prevented from fully debating the bills and said an amendment he proposed — to automatically revoke firearms from anyone placed on an intelligence watchlist — was rejected by Labor.
Katter placed primary responsibility for the attack on migration authorities, followed by intelligence agencies, arguing that dangerous individuals had been allowed to enter Australia and retain access to firearms despite security warnings. He criticised the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, saying there was no effective mechanism to remove registered weapons once a person was placed on a watchlist.
He also blamed the NSW Labor government, claiming the attacker was issued a firearms licence after the election of Premier Chris Minns in 2023, despite a prior application dating back to 2015.
Central to the Katter’s comments was a renewed call for what he described as a policy of “no migration without assimilation”. He argued Australia should only accept migrants from societies that uphold the rule of law, democratic governance, religious freedom, egalitarian values and strong work ethics.
Katter claimed that a failure to enforce assimilation had led to radical enclaves, imported conflicts and rising antisemitism, asserting that such problems could not be solved through hate-speech legislation alone. He further alleged the Albanese government was encouraging high migration levels for electoral gain.
He also took aim at senior ministers, describing Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and Foreign Minister Penny Wong as lacking independence in their decision-making.
The government has previously rejected claims that recent gun and hate-speech laws undermine civil liberties, arguing the measures are necessary to address extremism and community safety, while maintaining that Australia’s migration and security frameworks remain among the strongest in the world.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
