The Premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns, has declared a major crackdown on venues accused of hosting hate preachers, unveiling drastic new powers that include the ability to cut off water and electricity to force their closure.
Swift Action Against Hate and Illegal Operations
Speaking in Sydney on Sunday, Mr Minns stated the government would act swiftly against any venue found to be spreading hate or operating without the necessary council or state approval. His firm stance follows the controversy surrounding the Al Madina Dawah Centre in Bankstown, which was shut down after alleged links to the Bondi Beach massacre on December 14 that claimed 15 innocent lives.
The Premier confirmed he is even considering an unprecedented step: deploying army troops to Sydney streets to protect the Jewish community. "We're in discussions about it," he said, when asked about using national armed forces to guard Jewish schools and synagogues. "I'm not prepared to front run it... but I'm just flagging with everyone, I'm not going to rule anything out." He emphasised that "nothing's off the table" when it comes to public safety.
"Switch Off Utilities" to Enforce Closure
Under the new plan, offending venues will face far more severe consequences than token fines. Authorities will be empowered to switch off utilities to ensure they can be shut down "easily and comprehensively."
"We're going to make sure that if people are running a prayer hall in breach of conditions, they can be shut down easily and comprehensively, not just with a nominal fine from the local council, but with the switching off of utilities as soon as possible," Minns asserted. He added that anyone found to have preached hate should have their halls closed immediately.
Centre at the Heart of the Storm
The crackdown follows revelations that alleged terrorist Naveed Akram visited the Al Madina Dawah Centre prior to the Bondi attack. Canterbury Bankstown Council issued a 'cease use' notice last week, stating the premises was only approved as a medical centre, not for prayer services.
Initially, the centre's management claimed it was not closing, arguing it met requirements for a community centre. It later released a statement saying it would "temporarily pause operations" while submitting a change-of-use application, insisting this was for compliance purposes.
The centre also claimed to be under new management and that prominent cleric Wissam Haddad was no longer involved. However, questions remain as the listed contact number still matches Haddad's long-time details.
Haddad, who has delivered antisemitic sermons, once told followers: "If all the Muslims in that region spat on Israel, the people of Israel would drown, the Jews would drown." Premier Minns slammed this rhetoric, calling Haddad a "proven racist" and warning of zero tolerance for racism and anti-Semitism, whether public or private.
"There is no statute of limitations on this kind of racism," Minns said. "We will do everything we can to restore confidence and keep the public safe." New legislation with stronger penalties is expected imminently.
With New Year's Eve celebrations approaching, Premier Minns urged Sydneysiders to show defiance. "We can't let these people win," he said, encouraging people to go out and celebrate with family and friends.
