Jewish community wants focus on Bondi attack, not broader hate speech

Another possibility is to merge the federal and NSW royal commissions.

Mike Kelly, a co-convener of Labor Friends of Israel, said he expected Albanese to bow to calls for a royal commission.

“Something has to give here,” he said. Kelly, a former Labor leader, said he would welcome a broad inquiry into “hate propaganda” in Australia, but some Jewish leaders wanted an inquiry focused on antisemitism and the lead-up to the Bondi attacks.

The families’ movement comes as a broad civil society campaign – under banner It’s Time: The Royal Commission Is Now – begins organizing survivors, relatives of victims, and community leaders to lobby lawmakers.

The group, which describes itself as a “non-partisan campaign to unite Australians” of different faiths and backgrounds, has begun rallying support from multicultural and religious organizations and is reaching out to trade unions, women’s groups and other civic organizations to support a royal commission into antisemitism and the Bondi attack.

While the Executive Council of Australian Jews and the NSW Board of Deputies have not commented since Albanese said he had changed his view on the royal commission, both said late last month they expected a national inquiry to explicitly address antisemitism.

“It is critical that the government and society understand the sources of antisemitism, particularly over the last two years, and how Australia has reached its current position, where hatred against an ethnic and religious minority has become extraordinarily widespread,” they said in a joint statement with other state Jewish groups on December 30.

The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, said members of the Jewish community wanted a separate investigation into antisemitism and the Bondi attack, and warned that there would be unrest in the community if a royal commission was established into the wider issue.

Federation of Islamic Councils of Australia President Rateb Jneid said the organization welcomed any investigation into the Bondi tragedy that could provide “answers, accountability and healing for those affected”.

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“However, when it comes to examining broader issues such as racism and hatred, including Islamophobia and antisemitism, this needs to be addressed through a separate and appropriately inclusive process,” he said. “Preferring one form over others risks further division. A serious national debate on racism must be inclusive, thoughtful and comprehensive.”

Gutnick, who co-ordinated the letter with 14 other families, said calls for a royal commission were “not driven by politics, but by grief, responsibility and a desire to ensure no other family has to endure what our family has gone through.”

“We believe it is a compelling public interest to ensure appropriate review of all contributing factors,” he wrote, requesting meetings on Feb. 3 and 4.

A group of 32 former defence, intelligence and security leaders, including former governor-general David Hurley, former ASIS chief Paul Symon and nine former defense service chiefs, joined calls on Wednesday for a federal royal commission into both antisemitism and Islamic extremism.

David Baxby, co-founder and partner at Coogee Capital, launched another public campaign called the Bondi Response, which included more than 2,000 names in online petitions and ads across the country’s headlines, including this one.

Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said in Hobart on Wednesday that the government would continue to engage and listen to the community.

“Our primary focus was to listen, respond to the community and take swift action,” he said.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said victims’ families should have confidence in the terms of reference of any investigation.

“The terms of reference must properly address the systemic rise of antisemitism in Australia and make reference to radical Islamic extremism as well as far-left neo-Nazi extremism. Families of the victims have been very clear on this. Antisemitism cannot be rescoped or redefined.”