Albanese rejects royal commission call amid pressure from victim’s families

Australia officially recognized the state of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly on September 21, drawing harsh criticism from Israel for joining French President Emmanuel Macron’s push for global recognition. In August, Hamas officials welcomed Australia’s plans to join the global effort but said it did not go far enough.

Albanese has repeatedly argued that a federal royal commission would be too slow, with similar commissions taking years to deliver their findings.

After a six-month delay, the government accepted several of the recommendations offered by antisemitism ambassador Jillian Segal; He announced new hate speech laws will be introduced early next year, a review of law enforcement and intelligence agencies, and reforms to gun laws, including a national buyback program.

A state-based royal commission has been set up by NSW Premier Chris Minns to work with federal agencies. But demands continue to grow from the Jewish community, legal experts and the federal opposition for a Commonwealth royal commission that could force the federal government and its agencies to testify.

Gutnick slammed the government’s reliance on the NSW commission, saying: “This is not a state matter. It happened on Sydney soil but it could happen anywhere.”

“If [antisemitism is] “If this doesn’t stop, other states will be in the same situation,” Gutnick said.

Asked what government policies have “fueled the fire” of antisemitism, Gutnick said “recognizing Palestine as a formal state is a big source of fuel.” [fuel] To the fire when Hamas is in power. “And I think the biggest proof of this is the letter of gratitude that Hamas wrote to the Albanian government for the recognition of the state, which tells you everything that needs to be said yes.”

A week after his father’s funeral, a neighbor of Gutnick’s in Melbourne whose car was set on fire with the words “Happy Hanukkah” written on it. Gutnick also hinted that the arrest of a West Australian man over anti-Semitic social media posts further prompted the need for a royal commission.

“Here we are in Sydney and a few days later I get home to Melbourne and there’s a firebomb around the corner,” Gutnick said. “We have to live in constant fear in public places as our children have to be careful about where the exits are in case something like this happens… and now the rest of the world can see the repercussions.”

In the letter from the families, answers and solutions were requested. “We need to know why clear warning signs were ignored, how anti-Semitic hatred and Islamic extremism were allowed to grow dangerously unchecked, and what changes need to be made to protect all Australians in the future,” the signatories said.

Loading

Speaking on Monday, Albanese said: “My heart breaks for the families of the victims of the Bondi terror attack and my heart goes out to them at an incredibly traumatic time.”

Albanese said the Richardson review would investigate the effectiveness of government institutions, what the institutions knew about the attackers before the attack and whether anything could have been done to prevent it. It will also examine whether institutions should be given more authority.

Richardson will submit his report in April.

Former Labor MP Mike Kelly joined voices calling for a federal royal commission on Monday, telling Radio National it was “a traditional measure when you need to do deeper scrutiny, contextual and systemic analysis”.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley told reporters in Albury on Saturday that the Jewish community had heard “excuses”, not action, from Albanese. The Liberal leader said the Coalition was willing to negotiate proposed terms of reference for the royal commission with the aim of being bipartisan.

National leader David Littleproud told Nine’s: Today He said on Monday morning that Albanese was “tone deaf to a grieving nation” and accused him of “insulting” the families of the victims of the attack.

“Unless you have a Commonwealth royal commission, you can’t force federal agencies to work with government agencies and present all the evidence. And that’s the frightening thing that the prime minister won’t confront, the massacre of 15 Australians at Bondi Beach,” Littleproud said.

Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up for our weekly Inside Politics newsletter.