Christchurch probe could be blueprint for Bondi inquiry
A royal commission into New Zealand’s worst mass murder could provide a blueprint for a federal inquiry into the Bondi massacre, legal experts say.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has softened his stance on a royal commission into the December 14 terror attack that killed 15 people and injured more than 40, after previously rejecting calls for such an inquiry.
As thought turns to potential terms of reference, the Law Council of Australia has warned that the royal commission should not interfere with the criminal investigation into gunman Naveed Akram.
Council President Tania Wolff said the New Zealand royal commission into the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks, in which 51 people were killed, could be used as an example to ensure criminal proceedings were not compromised.
“It will be vital that the timing, management and terms of reference of any royal commission are structured in a way that does not interfere with ongoing criminal proceedings,” he told AAP.
The terms of reference for the Christchurch royal commission included provisions for part of the investigation to be conducted privately to ensure confidentiality, as well as restricting access to information so as not to affect the criminal case.
The Law Council was among many groups to support calls for a royal commission following the terror attack; Ms Wolff said there should be a clear focus on antisemitism for the Commonwealth inquiry.
“This investigation should be wide-ranging and examine issues such as national security coordination, intelligence sharing regulations, communications and online regulation, hate speech legislation, counter-terrorism laws, pathways to radicalization and the effectiveness of preventive frameworks,” Ms Wolff said.
Other groups calling for a royal commission include Jewish groups, families of massacre victims, prominent Australians and the federal opposition.
An open letter calling for a federal investigation came from the Labor Party’s Israel Action Committee; Former MP Mike Kelly has called for terms of reference to examine anti-Semitism and who is behind it.
“You look at the generation of hate in general and the propaganda of hate material, regardless of who it targets,” he told AAP.
“We can look at how the mechanisms of this work work, who is behind it, for what reason and where the financing comes from.”
The group called for a broad terms of reference that would allow for examination of systemic issues.
Mr Kelly said the terms of reference could be changed if other matters relating to the Bondi massacre were not investigated immediately.
“They can also be adjusted as you go along, as you find different things it can lead to the need to expand or narrow the job description,” he said.
“The royal commission may issue interim reports as it progresses. This has been done before.”
The coalition called for the mandate to address drivers of anti-Semitism, the effectiveness of Commonwealth, state and territory institutions, as well as response programs to address radical Islamic extremism.
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