Dennis Richardson to lead review of federal law enforcement
As well as investigating the circumstances of the Bondi attack, the coalition wants a royal commission to investigate antisemitism in universities, the arts and culture sector, the Australian Human Rights Commission and media reporting about Israel and the Middle East.
Wants to investigate the effectiveness of prevention programs on Islamic extremism; whether immigration policy prevents people with anti-Semitic views from coming to Australia; security in places of worship; school education; and the role of social media platforms in facilitating extremism.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said: “The state inquiry is good but inadequate; only a Commonwealth royal commission can deliver real accountability.”
“Unless the Prime Minister confronts the causes of the Bondi massacre with honesty and determination, the victims of this terrorist attack and their families will be denied the justice they deserve.
“Nothing is off limits. No institution is beyond scrutiny. Anti-Semitism is not a state problem. It is a national failure. That’s why this investigation covers every level of government and every segment of civil society.”
The government’s new review builds on announcements made last week by the federal government in response to the attack, including the largest gun buyback since the Port Arthur massacre almost 30 years ago; It works with states to impose strict limits on the number of guns a person can own and includes a five-point plan to combat antisemitism.
Former Liberal treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who has been outspoken in his criticism of the federal government’s response, said on social media platform X that the internal departmental review of law enforcement and intelligence agencies was “wholly inadequate”.
“To use Australian colloquialism, this is nonsense. It is weak, it is wrong, it is an abrogation of your first and fundamental duty to protect.”
Nationals leader David Littleproud told Sky News he believed Albanese did not want a federal royal commission because of what it might reveal. “We have to look at the failures of decisions made at the political level, at the intelligence level. And most of these institutions are at the federal level,” he said.
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Minns will not deal with this issue. “We’re holding one in NSW. We think it’s absolutely important that we do that. Whether that happens at the Commonwealth level is a matter for the Commonwealth government,” he told Channel Nine. Today program.
“But they said their institutions and organizations would be available regardless of the state-based investigation.”
Albanese said on Sunday that the intelligence and law enforcement review would build on previous work done on the Independent Intelligence Review.
Richardson served as a secretary in both the Defense and Foreign Affairs and Trade departments, as well as as Australia’s ambassador to the United States.
