PM expected to bow to calls for federal royal commission into Bondi beach attack | Australia news
A federal royal commission into the alleged Bondi terror attack is expected to be confirmed on Thursday afternoon, while Anthony Albanese is expected to take an earlier stance against a wide-ranging Commonwealth inquiry.
Multiple sources close to discussions between the government and Jewish community groups said they expected an announcement around 4.30pm in Canberra on Thursday.
The prime minister has in recent days backtracked on his previous reluctance to pursue such an inquiry, following growing calls from Bondi victims’ families, Jewish community groups and politicians across the country, including his own Labor group. 15 people lost their lives in a gun attack allegedly carried out by a father and son inspired by ISIS at a Hanukkah event in Bondi.
Respected former high court judge Virginia Bell is expected to be appointed to the commission to investigate antisemitism and the Bondi attack. Appointed to the force in 1994 as a barrister at the NSW Wood royal commission, Bell also served as a judge in NSW’s supreme court and court of appeal and the supreme court from 2009 to 2021. Also in 2022, Albanese was appointed by the Labor government to investigate former prime minister Scott Morrison’s secret decisions to appoint him to multiple ministerial posts without the knowledge of ministers in those roles.
The prime minister and his cabinet have for several weeks rejected growing calls for a royal commission, saying such investigations would take too long, provide a platform for anti-Semitic hatred and were not good ways to consider issues “on which people have different views”.
It followed a mounting campaign of public pressure from across Australian society, including an emotional open letter from the families of many of the Bondi victims, calling for a royal commission into the alleged terror attack and the wider problem of antisemitism in Australia. Similar demands followed from business figures, sports figures, security experts and a group of former Labor MPs.
The Federal Coalition opposition and others in the federal parliament have backed calls by Jewish community groups for an inquiry into antisemitism, while also backing broader calls for an investigation into questions about intelligence, law enforcement and firearms laws.
One of the alleged shooters, Naveed Akram, who is accused of dozens of crimes, including 15 murders, was investigated by Asio in October 2019 for his alleged involvement with alleged members of the Islamic State cell. His father was later approved for a gun permit.
Albanese has previously resisted a federal royal commission, saying federal authorities would co-operate with a royal commission ordered by the New South Wales state government. The federal government instead called for a narrow investigation into the national intelligence and law enforcement community, led by former Asio chief Dennis Richardson; It was a step that former Liberal treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who led calls for a royal commission, described as “nonsense”.
Albanese has previously said the federal royal commission would take too long and that he wanted quicker answers about changes needed to intelligence or police services.
More to come.
