Asked if the new laws will be used immediately to restrict public gatherings following the Bondi attack, Minns said it was a decision for the NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon.
“I believe in the circumstances that that should happen, but I’m going to leave it up to him to make that call today,” he said.
Those laws may be tested if Israeli President Isaac Herzog is met with pro-Palestine protests during a planned visit to Australia following the Bondi attack, but Minns said he hoped they would not be needed.
“There’s an essential decency there that I hope kicks in. I do believe that most Australians feel that way,” he said.
Minns said the protest laws only apply to the time around when a terror event is declared and would not affect events such as “Invasion Day” rallies usually held on the Australia Day holiday.
The legislation passed this week has three key pillars: creating an offence for displaying terrorist symbols such as the IS flag; significant restrictions on firearm possession; and allowing the police commissioner to prevent protests occurring for up to three months after a terrorism incident.
Under the new laws, most license holders will be able to own a maximum of four guns. Farmers and recreational shooters will be able to own up to 10 guns. Those limits will come into effect from Wednesday, Minns said, but gun owners will not be required to hand back their firearms until the government’s buyback scheme is operating next year.
The bill was opposed by the Nationals, and faced the threat of a filibuster from Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MPs Robert Borsak and Mark Banasiak.
Mark Banasiak, an MP from the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party speaks during an emergency sitting of NSW parliament on Tuesday.Credit: News Corp Australia
After beginning on Tuesday with an acknowledgement that debate would reach into the early hours of Christmas Eve, the Legislative Council debated 181 proposed amendments to the bill before it eventually passed at 2.51am.
Despite making the final amendment, Greens MPs abstained from voting. The bill passed 18 votes to eight with the support of Liberal MPs.
The bill encountered opposition from within Minns’ own ranks, with Labor MP Anthony D’Adam describing attempts to restrict certain protest chants as a “fool’s errand”.
Government MPs hugged and shook hands as the Legislative Assembly formally adopted the legislation.
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Wahroonga MP Alister Henskens was the only representative on the opposition benches as Police and Counter-Terrorism Minister Yasmin Catley thanked Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane, whose electorate of Vaucluse represents the Bondi area.
“She has shown true leadership, both in her community and in this house, in assisting us to achieve this result,” Catley said.
In a statement, Sloane said the Liberals supported the bill in the interests of community safety but said the legislation was rushed through without properly consulting the community. “That is not best-practice lawmaking,” she said.
Minns said on Tuesday he was confident the laws would withstand any legal challenge from activists concerned the laws restrict citizens’ rights to gather and demand change.
Catley said the government would boost funding to the NSW firearms registry to enable a crackdown. NSW will also go halves with the Commonwealth to fund the buyback of firearms in the state.
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