Minister for Home Affairs
Minister for Cyber Security
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
Minister for the Arts
The Hon Tony Burne MP
Attorney-General
The Hon Michelle Rowland MP
Joint Media Release
The Albanese Government has today introduced legislation to further protect Australians from threats posed by state sponsors of terrorism.
The changes will strengthen Australia's counter-terrorism framework and send a clear message that Australia does not tolerate foreign state-sponsored terrorism. It will help ensure that foreign states that seek to fuel division, create fear and erode social cohesion in the Australian community will be held to account.
The legislation delivers on the Government's commitment to establish a framework within the Criminal Code to allow the listing of foreign state entities as state sponsors of terrorism following the assessment by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps directed at least two attacks targeting the Jewish Australian community.
Australia's counter-terrorism framework will be expanded to tackle the threats posed by the malign foreign state actors we are now facing, or those supported by foreign states to commit acts of terrorism.
The Criminal Code Amendment (State Sponsors of Terrorism) Bill 2025 is the next step in strengthening the framework and ensuring it is responsive to the evolving threat environment.
The Bill will achieve this by introducing a new scheme into the Criminal Code Act 1995 to respond to state‑sponsored terrorist acts, and list foreign state entities as state sponsors of terrorism. This unique threat poses security and foreign policy considerations which requires a specifically designed framework.
These reforms will:
- Allow a foreign state entity to be listed as a state sponsor of terrorism where they have directly or indirectly engaged in, or otherwise supported or advocated for, the doing of terrorist acts targeted at Australia
- Introduce a series of offences criminalising engagement in, or support for, terrorist acts involving listed state entities
- Introduce a series of offences criminalising various interactions with a state sponsor of terrorism, including membership, association and the provision of funding, and
- Ensure that law enforcement and intelligence agencies have the legal powers required to deal with terrorist threats and prevent state sponsored terrorist attacks.
Quotes attributable to the Attorney-General, Hon Michelle Rowland MP:
"The safety of all Australians is the Government's foremost priority.
"The assessment from the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation that malicious foreign actors had directed two antisemitic attacks on Australian soil was sobering - which is why our Government has acted to introduce this vital legislation.
"Threats to the community, wherever and however they emerge, will not be tolerated. Every Australian, no matter their race or religion, should be able to enjoy their life in any Australian community, without prejudice or discrimination.
"While these attacks may have been targeted to one part of our community, they were attacks on our sovereignty and our collective way of life. They have absolutely no place in a modern, multicultural and multifaith country like Australia.
"The Government's legislation will make it more difficult, more risky, and more costly for malicious foreign actors to seek to cause Australia and our community harm."
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Home Affairs, Hon Tony Burke MP:
"This legislation, introduced to strengthen Australia's counter terrorism framework, sends the strongest possible signal that the Australian Government places the Australian community's safety and security as its top priority.
"Our government wants Australians to be safe and feel safe, and we stand together in unity and strength against any and all attempts at division and hatred."
