Australia announces tougher hate speech laws following Bondi massacre

Australia has announced tougher laws on hate speech in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack.

Naveed Akram, 24, and his father, Sajid Akram, are suspected of opening fire on crowds of more than 1,000 people as they celebrated Hanukkah in the Archer Park area of Bondi Beach on Sunday. Naveed Akram has been charged with 59 offences over the attack that killed 15 people in the nation's worst massacre in almost three decades.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) commissioner Krissy Barrett also confirmed further searches would take place in the coming days. The proposed measures include increased penalties for promoting violence, the creation of a new aggravated hate-speech offence for preachers and leaders who promote violence, and the development of a regime to list organisations whose leaders engage in hate speech that promotes violence or racial hatred.

Sajid Akram, 50, was shot dead by police at the scene, while two police officers were also non-fatally wounded during an exchange of gunfire. Read more:Inside Philippines hotel used by gunmen before mass shootingRelative of youngest victim of shooting hits out at attackers The first funerals of the Bondi Beach victims took place on Wednesday, including that of London-born rabbi Eli Schlanger.

On Thursday, hundreds of mourners bearing bright bouquets gathered in Sydney for the funeral of 10-year-old Matilda, who was enjoying a petting zoo at the festivities on Sunday just before she was gunned down. Ms Barrett said at a press conference on Thursday the New South Wales Joint Counter Terrorism Team would execute further search warrants to support the investigation.

"There is a lot of material to be examined, and the AFP continues to work with both domestic and international partners to build a more complete picture of the movements and who the alleged offenders had contact with, both in Australia and offshore," she said. Prime minister Anthony Albanese announced his government would work on a series of legislative reforms in a bid to clamp down on those who "spread hate, division and radicalisation.