Statement: selective hate speech and migration laws risk undermining social cohesion

We understand the need for urgent reforms in the wake of the antisemitic Bondi Beach terror attack and commend the federal government for acting swiftly to enhance community safety and prevent hate, discrimination and violence. We stand with the Australian Jewish community who were targeted in the attack, and with all Australians mourning in its aftermath.

We share the concerns of many in the multicultural and settlement sector that the changes proposed under the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026 lean too heavily on tougher criminal laws or expanded migration controls.

Racism and extremism are deeply rooted social issues that cannot be legislated away. Not addressing social and economic exclusion ignores the root causes of the problem. When criminalisation becomes the primary prevention mechanism, it treats racism as an individual failing. It doesn’t address the broader systems and conditions that allow and even encourage racism, including antisemitism, to flourish. Instead of building unity, an individualised approach risks further fracturing social cohesion.

SSI supports stronger legal measures to address hate speech. As currently drafted, the bill focuses too narrowly on hate speech targeting ethnicity and race. Social cohesion can only be achieved by addressing all forms of hate. Any new offences or protections must be inclusive and intersectional, covering hatred based on race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability and other inherent attributes.

We are also concerned by the proposal to expand the Home Affairs Minister’s powers to permanently exclude all applicants from being granted a visa if they had a visa refused or cancelled on character grounds — not only those whose visas were refused due to hate‑motivated conduct. This broad and permanent application risks undermining the fairness and consistency that underpin Australia’s visa framework.

Extremism thrives in situations where people are socially and economically isolated. Effective responses must therefore go beyond enforcement and focus on inclusion — ensuring people from all backgrounds can participate fully in Australian society, with access to decent work, education, services and a sense of belonging.

Addressing structural barriers to inclusion is key to this. At SSI, we are calling on the federal government to fully fund and implement a prevention‑focused, whole‑of‑society approach as outlined in the National Anti‑Racism Framework.

Released in November 2024 by the Australian Human Rights Commission following extensive community consultation, the framework sets out 63 recommendations to tackle racism across Australia’s legal, justice, health, education, media and arts systems.

As recent months have shown, we cannot afford to wait — national leadership, real investment and long‑term commitment are needed to build a future where every person is treated with dignity and respect. The National Anti‑Racism Framework provides the evidence‑based, community‑informed roadmap needed to achieve this, ensuring that prevention, education and structural reform sit at the heart of Australia’s response to hate.

A national response to an issue as critical as racism and hate speech requires unity. While we support strong measures to address racism and extremism, these are systemic and social problems that cannot be solved through punitive approaches alone.