What Happened: At 6:47pm on Sunday, December 14, police received reports of a shooting at Archer Park in north Bondi.
The park was hosting a “Chanukah by the Sea” event celebrating the first day of the Jewish festival.
16 people, including one of the shooters, have died since the attack. Fifteen remain in hospital.
Police discovered improvised explosive devices at the scene and two homemade ISIS flags.
The Prime Minister said on Friday more evidence had been found to reinforce the attack was “ISIS inspired”.
Charges: One of the two shooters, a 50 year-old-man, was shot dead at Bondi by police.
The other shooter, his 24-year-old son, has been charged with 59 charges including terrorism and murder.
Buy back: On Friday morning Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a national gun buyback scheme, the largest since 1996.
The PM said it was a way to get rid of some of the more than four million guns that are currently in Australia.
The scheme will be 50/50 funded by the State and Federal Governments.
The Scheme: States and territories are responsible for the collection, processing, and payment to those who surrender firearms.
The Australian Federal Police will be responsible for destroying the surrendered firearms.
Hundreds of thousands of firearms are expected to be collected and destroyed through this scheme.
Other measures: The Government’s other planned gun control measures include:
Limits on the number of firearms per person.
Restrictions on open-ended firearm licensing.
Making Australian citizenship a condition for a firearm license.
Faster implementation of the National Firearms Register.
Expanded use of criminal intelligence for licensing decisions.
Actions taken: On Thursday, the Government announced it will continue working through the 13 recommendations from special envoy Jillian Segal’s plan to combat antisemitism.
The Government are also implementing other reforms including:
An aggravated hate speech offence for preachers and leaders who promote violence.
Powers to cancel or reject visas for those who spread hate and division in this country, or for those who would do so if they were allowed to come.
Response: Deakin University’s Matteo Vergani, Associate Professor and Director of the Tackling Hate Lab, wrote in the Conversation on Thursday and said not all of the 13 recommendations the Government is “working through” from Segal’s report will reduce antisemitism.
Vergani said withdrawing funding, or imposing penalties on universities, cultural institutions or media organisations that did not comply with antisemitism standards set by the envoy, will likely inflame debates about free speech and institutional autonomy rather than antisemitism.
Time to mourn: This Sunday, Australia will have a day of reflection.
Australians are invited to light a candle at 6:47 pm and observe a minute silence exactly one week after the attack.
The Prime Minister confirmed an official day of mourning will take place next year.
Thumbnail: Steve Markham, AAP