Lead

The Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion has delivered its interim report on the December terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, recommending urgent reforms to gun laws, policing of Jewish events, and counter-terrorism coordination. The report, released Thursday, describes a national security system that had grown complacent and shifted resources away from counter-terrorism, leaving the country unprepared for the deadliest terrorist attack on Australian soil.

Coverage comparison

Reports from ABC Australia, BBC, and The Guardian highlight different aspects of the findings. ABC's coverage emphasizes the commission's conclusion that Australia had grown complacent about terrorism before the attack, with the government and national security system shifting priorities away from counter-terrorism after the fall of Islamic State's caliphate in 2019. The Guardian focuses on the failure of NSW Police to complete a comprehensive risk assessment for the Chanukah by the Sea event, despite warnings from the Jewish community. BBC and Jerusalem Post reports note that the commission made 14 recommendations, five of which remain classified, and that the government has agreed to implement all of them.

Key claims

Complacency and shifting priorities

According to ABC reporting, the royal commission found that Australia had grown complacent about terrorism before the Bondi attack, and that the government and national security system had shifted priorities away from counter-terrorism after 2019. The national counter-terrorism plan and accompanying handbook had not been updated since that year, and intelligence agencies had significantly shifted spending away from counter-terrorism since 2020, despite overall funding increases. The commission noted that ASIO's focus had shifted to foreign espionage and interference, with the terror threat level lowered to 'possible' in 2022 before being raised to 'probable' in 2024.

Warnings and police response

The Guardian reported that Sydney's Jewish community warned police of a 'high' threat of an attack at the Chanukah by the Sea festival, but NSW Police did not complete a comprehensive risk assessment for the event. ABC reported that Jewish security agency Community Security Group NSW requested police assistance for the entirety of the event, but were told that static resources could not be provided. Officers assigned to patrol the event were told there was 'no need to stay the entire duration,' as reported by ABC and The Guardian.

Recommendations

According to multiple sources, the interim report made 14 recommendations, five of which remain classified. Published recommendations include:

  • A review of joint counter-terrorism teams across Australia, with an urgent report to police commissioners.
  • Prioritizing nationally consistent firearms legislation, including a national gun buyback scheme.
  • Extending NSW Police procedures used for Jewish high holy days to other high-risk Jewish festivals and events.
  • Considering making the Commonwealth Counter-Terrorism Coordinator role full-time.
  • Including the Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee in crisis coordination arrangements.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government would implement all recommendations, as reported by BBC, The Guardian, and Jerusalem Post.

ASIO assessment questioned

ABC reported that the former head of ASIO, Dennis Richardson, questioned the thoroughness of the agency's 2019 assessment of Bondi attacker Naveed Akram, and whether he and his father were reassessed in subsequent years. The ABC report noted that internal reviews by ASIO and the Australian Federal Police found no intelligence failure or negligence that could have prevented the attack.

Perspectives

Australian Government

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government would adopt all initial recommendations, emphasizing that the report showed 'no urgent changes' were needed, but that the government was committed to strengthening counter-terrorism capabilities. He deflected questions about whether resourcing for counter-terrorism had been insufficient, pointing to overall funding increases.

Royal Commission

Commissioner Virginia Bell's report describes a system that had become complacent and failed to keep pace with the evolving threat. The report notes that despite repeated public warnings from ASIO about the likelihood of a terrorist attack and the murder of Jews, the institutional response failed to keep pace, with a shrinking share of funding and gaps in coordination.

NSW Police and ASIO

While not directly responding in the material, the report's findings indicate that NSW Police did not complete a comprehensive risk assessment for the Chanukah event and that ASIO's early assessment of the attacker may have been insufficient. The commission's report does not declare any intelligence or policing failure, leaving that for future hearings.