Australian Prime Minister announces royal commission into Bondi shooting

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the creation of a royal commission, the country’s most powerful form of independent inquiry, into last month’s shooting at Bondi Beach.

The attack targeting a Jewish holiday left 15 dead, making it one of the deadliest in the country’s history.

Albanese had previously argued that reforms on gun ownership and hate speech, measures to combat anti-Semitism and an overhaul of intelligence and law enforcement agencies offered the quickest answer.

But after weeks of public pressure, he said on Thursday a royal commission was the best way forward after taking “time to reflect” and meeting with the Jewish community.

“I have said repeatedly that our government’s priority is to promote unity and social cohesion, and that is what Australia needs to heal, learn and come together in a spirit of national unity,” he told reporters in Canberra. “It is clear to me that a royal commission is essential to achieving this.”

Since the Dec. 14 attack, the victims’ families, along with a chorus of public figures including lawyers, businessmen and athletes, have led an almost daily campaign calling on him to reverse course and establish a royal commission.

A royal commission has broad investigative powers, the ability to summon witnesses and compel agencies to produce documents. It can also provide legal protections to whistleblowers.

The commission will look at four key areas, Albanese said. They include:

• investigate “the nature and prevalence of antisemitism” and its “key drivers” in Australia
• make recommendations to law enforcement, immigration, border and security agencies to combat anti-Semitism
• examine the circumstances of the Bondi attack
• formulate any other recommendations aimed at strengthening social cohesion and combating the spread of ideologically and religiously motivated extremism

The Prime Minister said the work of Dennis Richardson, the former intelligence chief heading a review into intelligence and law enforcement agencies, would be incorporated into the royal commission, with an interim report expected in April.

Former high court judge Virginia Bell was appointed to lead the commission, Albanese said, adding that he had asked her to report by December 2026 and that “it won’t be a drawn-out process.” Previous royal commissions took years.

“This royal commission is the right format, the right duration and the right mandate to produce the right outcome for our national unity and our national security,” Albanese said.

Rumors that Bell would be nominated had already drawn criticism from the Jewish community.

Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg said that before Albanese’s announcement, Jewish leaders had expressed “serious concerns” to the prime minister about his appointment, without specifying what they were.

Speaking alongside Albanese, Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said Bell was “an eminent and highly competent former judge of the High Court of Australia, and I have no doubt that she will consider the complex issues ahead with impartiality and precision”.

In the days following the attack, state and federal leaders agreed to strengthen gun control, including limiting the number of firearms owned by an individual and the types of firearms that can be owned, as well as establishing a buyback program.

Albanese also promised hate speech reform, including sanctions for preachers and leaders who promote violence and a new federal offense of “aggravated hate speech.”

He previously said his government would adopt recommendations put forward by Anti-Semitism Commissioner Jillian Segal in a July report.

His report was criticized by some when it was published because of its implications for free speech, such as plans to monitor universities and arts organizations and suspend their funding if they were deemed to have failed to act against anti-Semitism.

Speaking alongside the prime minister on Thursday, Segal said the government’s decision was “the right and important one”.

“This reflects the seriousness of the rise in anti-Semitism and its impact on our country and our democracy,” she said.