Albanese Retracts Vilification Clause Amid Poll Collapse

On 18 January 2026, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that the racial vilification section of the omnibus post‑Bondi bill would be repealed, a concession aimed at easing opposition to the legislation during a special parliamentary sitting. The decision follows a sharp decline in voter support: Labor’s primary vote fell to 30 %—its lowest since February 2025—while the Coalition rose to 28 %. One Nation’s support jumped to 18 % in the Resolve poll and 22 % in a Newspoll. Albanese’s preferred‑prime‑minister rating dropped from +6 to –22, and his lead over Opposition Leader Sussan Ley narrowed to 33 %‑29 %. The move leaves the bill’s gun buy‑back component intact, but hampers migration and hate‑crime provisions.