Royal Commission Finds No Legal Gaps in Bondi Attack

The interim report of the royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion has been released, examining the circumstances surrounding December’s terror attack at a Jewish Hanukah festival in Bondi that left 15 people dead. The report makes clear that the alleged shooters’ motivation will not be examined in public forums, but it focuses on whether police and governments responded seriously enough to terrorism threat warnings from intelligence agencies.

The commission made 14 recommendations, nine of which are public. These include expanding police presence at Jewish events, making the counter-terrorism coordinator’s role full-time, reviewing joint counter-terrorism teams, and prioritizing the national firearms agreement and gun buyback scheme. Five recommendations remain confidential due to national security concerns.

The report noted that no intelligence or law-enforcement agency identified any legal gap that prevented them from acting before the Bondi massacre. However, it highlighted unresolved questions about police protection at the event itself, with NSW Police acknowledging a request for police presence but not receiving a specific request for dedicated resources. The report also recommended that state and federal governments prioritize efforts to finalise and implement nationally consistent firearms reforms.

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said his government had accepted all the commission’s recommendations which went to the commonwealth, including reviewing processes and considering training in counter-terror exercises for himself and the cabinet. The report also noted an increase in antisemitic incidents since October 2023, with Jewish Australians increasingly targeted at homes, schools, synagogues, and public events.