On 16 April, the New South Wales Court of Appeal struck down state-level emergency anti-protest laws introduced following the 2025 Bondi Beach attack, ruling that they ‘impermissibly burdened’ the implied right to freedom of political communication under Australia’s constitution. The laws, enacted under the Terrorism and Other Legislation Act 2025, formed part of a ‘public assembly restriction’ (PARD) scheme that granted police broad powers to restrict public assemblies in designated areas for up to three months after terror attacks. This effectively prevented people from protesting without risking arrest. The ruling followed a constitutional challenge brought by civil society groups, including the Blak Caucus and the Palestine Action Group. The government had defended the measures as necessary to maintain public safety following the Bondi Beach attack. 

Sources: The Guardian, International IDEA, Amnesty International, ABC News, New South Whales Case Law

On 2 April, the federal government introduced the Secrecy Provisions Amendment (Repealing Offences) Bill, proposing to repeal or remove criminal liability for more than 300 federal secrecy provisions. Building on years of reform efforts and debates sparked by high-profile whistleblower prosecutions, the bill aims to strengthen safeguards for journalists, including requiring ministerial consent before prosecuting journalists or their sources for disclosing classified information. The bill is expected to proceed to a second reading as well as potentially face committee scrutiny, although no timeline for passage has been set. It remains to be seen how the bill advances through parliament and whether it reshapes protections for public interest journalism and access to information.

Sources: Attorney-General’s Department, Parliament of Australia, Human Rights Law Centre

On 14 December, two gunmen fatally shot 16 people at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney. The shooting is Australia’s deadliest in nearly thirty years and follows an increase in antisemitic hate crimes. In response, the New South Wales Parliament passed the Terrorism and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 on 24 December. The bill restricts certain types of gun use, imposes stricter licensing and vetting processes and proposes a gun buyback scheme where Australians can dispose of illegally-owned firearms. The bill also gives police the power to restrict public protests for up to three months following terrorist attacks and prohibits the display of symbols of prohibited terrorist organizations. Further hate speech rules are planned for 2026. While rights experts support the gun law reforms, they criticize the restrictions on protests and expression as disproportionate. Activists plan to challenge the anti-protest laws.

On 30 October, the parliament of the state of Victoria passed the Statewide Treaty Bill, establishing the first-ever treaty framework for First Nations people in Australia. This legislation establishes a permanent, democratically elected Indigenous body called ‘Gellung Warl,’ which will replace the existing and temporary First People’s Assembly that was established in 2019. The new body is legally required to be consulted on laws and policies that affect Indigenous communities, whereas the previous body had more of an advisory role, providing informal input and working to establish the treaty negotiation framework. The treaty agreement also includes commitments to include more information about Victoria’s First Nations’ people in school curricula, among other things. The bill is the result of decades-long advocacy efforts led by Indigenous communities and follows the findings and recommendations of the Yoorrook Justice Commission’s truth-telling report in July 2025. The legislation received royal assent on 13 November. 

Sources: International IDEA, ABC News, The Guardian, Reconciliation Australia, Victorian Legislation 

On 4 September, the Australian parliament passed the Home Affairs Legislation Amendment (2025 Measure No.1) Bill, 2025, enabling the deportation of non-citizens to third countries without procedural fairness (i.e. individuals will only be notified of deportation proceedings once a final decision has been made). The law also allows for the enforcement of prior visa cancellations, even if they were blocked or based on incorrect or incomplete information. The bill follows a 2023 High Court ruling that blocked indefinite detention for non-citizens unable to return home, leading to the release of hundreds of detainees. The government claims that only a small number of non-citizens awaiting deportations will be affected, particularly those with serious criminal histories and others linked to the Court ruling, who will be deported to Nauru, under a recent bilateral agreement. However, legal experts warn that it could affect 80,000 people, particularly alongside the harsh anti-migration laws passed in December 2024. Opposition leaders and civil society strongly condemned the bill’s rushed and secretive passage that prevented adequate public consultation.

Sources: International IDEA (1), International IDEA (2), Human Rights Watch, Parliament of Australia, Refugee Council of Australia, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Law Council of Australia