TRANSCRIPT:
"I've said repeatedly that our government's priority is to promote unity and social cohesion...and this is what Australia needs to heal, to learn, to come together in a spirit of national unity and to go forward knowing that just like people who gathered that night on Bondi Beach were committing to, that light will prevail over darkness. It's clear to me that a Royal Commission is essential to achieving this."
That was Prime minister Anthony Albanese announcing a federal Royal Commission into the Bondi Terror attack, following a long cabinet meeting on Thursday.
Parallel to the Commission, the government is already moving to fast-track stricter gun laws and a national buyback scheme, while preparing new legislation to criminalise hate speech.
Led by former High Court Justice Virginia Bell, the inquiry is to examine the Bondi attack and the rise of antisemitism in Australia, while incorporating the Dennis Richardson review of law enforcement and intelligence.
With the final report due at the end of this year, Mr Albanese detailed the Commission's terms of reference, focusing on four key areas.
"One: tackling antisemitism by investigating the nature and prevalence of antisemitism, examining its key drivers in Australia, including religious and ideologically motivated extremism and radicalisation. Two, making any recommendations to assist law enforcement, border control, immigration and security agencies to tackle antisemitism, including through improvements to guidance and training within law enforcement, border control, immigration and security agencies to respond to antisemitic conduct. Three, examine the circumstances surrounding the Bondi terrorist attack on the 14th of December 2025 and the work of Dennis Richardson will be central to this. And four, make any other recommendations arising out of the inquiry for strengthening social cohesion in Australia and countering the spread of ideological and religiously motivated extremism in Australia."
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says the terms of reference are carefully set to prioritise social cohesion.
"The second thing is in terms of social cohesion. It is very important that the royal commission be crafted in a way that does not go on forever, and that gives the commissioner very specific powers to make sure it is conducted in a way that promotes social cohesion. Some of the terms of reference that had been floated around, in particular from the opposition in recent weeks, would have left something that gave us no answers for a very long time. Would not have had the expertise of someone like a national security expert like Dennis Richardson, and also would have failed to have the priority of social cohesion in the structure that's been given here."
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has questioned the government's timeline.
"If Anthony Albanese had been as determined to eradicate antisemitism over the last three years as he has been to avoid a Royal Commission over the last three weeks, the country might be in a much better position today."
Acting Greens leader Sarah Hanson Young has welcomed the announcement.
She says a balanced, careful and powerful Royal Commission is a chance to learn hard lessons while minimising divisive politics.
However Senior Counsel Greg Barns is warning that Royal Commissions are often costly and do not always result in material outcomes.
"Well, it needs to be remembered that Royal Commissions aren't always a panacea, and the take-up of recommendations from Royal Commissions isn't particularly high. We've also seen royal commissions, for example, the famous Royal Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody, that's well over 30 years ago now, and we're still seeing - tragically - deaths in custody in and around Australia. So I don't think anyone ought to be under the illusion that a Royal Commission will be able to stop, for example, antisemitism in Australia (or) other forms of extremism. What it might be able to do is to make recommendations in a policy sense, to try and ensure that we get sensible, rational responses to those issues."
ANU Professor of Australian Studies, Dr Mark Kenny, is welcoming the Royal Commission’s broad focus, saying including all forms of extremism in the terms of reference is a positive move.
However, Dr Kenny says the Commission's chosen definition of antisemitism will be pivotal, likely remaining a flash point for ongoing friction.
He says this is evidenced by the Adelaide Festival board’s decision to exclude Randa Abdel-Fattah, the program’s sole Palestinian author.
A statement from the Writer's Festival board says: "Whilst we do not suggest in any way that Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah or her writings have any connection with the tragedy at Bondi, given her past statements we have formed the view that it would not be culturally sensitive to continue to program her at this unprecedented time so soon after Bondi."
"The challenge is in finding the line what constitutes antisemitism as distinct from legitimate political debate. I think that is actually going to be one of the difficult things for the Royal Commission, because its prime target is antisemitism in Australia (and) there is a legitimate debate about what kinds of discussions constitute antisemitism. Some people will say that it involves any criticism of Israel. Others will say that is completely distinct from the discussion. I think that is going to be a real challenge, and it's one of the reasons why I think support for this has been politically contentious."
This concern was reiterated by Gamel Kheir, from the Lebanese Muslim Association.
"Look, the greatest fear that I have, and I think 99 per cent of Australians would have, is criticism of a political entity is somehow viewed as being a critic of a faith. You know, my criticism of Israel has nothing to do with the Jewish faith."
Dr Ron Levy, a professor at the ANU College of Law, Governance, and Policy, says a well-balanced Royal Commission should facilitate broad community consultation, and help to address some of these concerns.
"Look, there is a conflict between two well-intentioned sides, those who are are concerned about antisemitic speech and violence and those who are deeply concerned about free speech. So how to, in a nuanced way, discover the right way of designing laws to manage that tension is really difficult...and so one of the best tools that we have would be a non-political, independent commission body. And so I think that it's really positive to have this commission, and it's also a great way of airing the concerns, not just of Jewish Australians, but also of protesters."
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns is scrapping plans for a separate state-level Royal Commission.
The grandmother of Matilda, the youngest victim of the Bondi attack, has told SBS Russian their family has been living in Australia for over 30 years, and have always enjoyed its multicultural and peaceful life.
"I want this Royal Commission to sort things out. I do. Because I'm sure something's not right here. It was a quiet, peaceful country."
