Anthony Albanese bows to pressure, announces probe into antisemitic attacks
Updated ,first published
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will set up a royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion following the worst terror attack in the country’s history, responding to demands from victims’ families after three weeks of calls from the federal opposition, public figures and some within the Labor Party for a federal inquiry.
Albanese has downplayed resistance from prominent Australian Jews, including former treasurer Josh Frydenberg, and will appoint former Supreme Court judge Virginia Bell to lead a royal commission into the Bondi terror attack and the wider problem of antisemitism in Australia.
Albanese’s announcement of Bell’s appointment comes despite some in the Jewish community raising concerns about Bell’s role in writing Australia’s modern protest laws.
The prime minister has opposed growing calls for a federal royal commission from the Jewish community, lawyers, business figures and sports stars who argue that the highest form of inquiry is needed to combat antisemitism and the circumstances that led to the December 14 Bondi massacre, which killed 15 innocent people at the Hanukkah event.
Albanese said a federal investigation risked delaying action and duplicating the state royal commission promised by NSW Premier Chris Minns. Instead, he commissioned a rapid review of the intelligence failures by former ASIO boss Dennis Richardson and said federal agencies would co-operate with the NSW investigation.
His government has also argued that a royal commission is not best placed to deal with national security issues and risks providing a platform for anti-Semitic hate speech.
But Albanese changed his message this week and did not rule out the federal investigation. “We continue to review whatever is necessary,” he said Tuesday.
“I stay in touch with the leaders of the Jewish community. As I said before, I talk and meet with people on a daily basis to make sure that what we need to do right now is that we’re doing everything possible to promote unity, and that’s my focus.”
A growing number of Jewish leaders, including former treasurer Josh Frydenberg, expressed concern on Thursday over the controversial appointment of former Supreme Court judge Virginia Bell as Albanese’s choice to lead the royal commission, warning that broad public consensus on the commissioner “must be a minimum requirement” for the inquiry to be successful.
Bell was appointed by Albanese in 2022 to investigate several of Scott Morrison’s ministries and has been praised by many distinguished judges for the clarity and precision of his decisions.
Calls for a royal commission have come from families of Bondi victims, national and state Jewish community groups, more than 200 senior members of the Australian Bar, over 100 industry leaders, the Business Council of Australia, the Law Council of Australia, Catholic bishops, leading sports stars and two Labor Party members.
Former Labor leader Mike Kelly, one of the leaders of the Labor Friends of Israel group, said this week that some Labor figures who did not want to comment publicly because of their current or former positions within the party were also privately lobbying the prime minister to reverse course.
More to come
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Natassia Chrysanthos is a Federal Political Correspondent. He has previously reported on immigration, health, social issues and the NDIS from Parliament House in Canberra.Connect with: excitement or email.
