Anthony Albanese held a press conference on Monday. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the terms for an independent review of the Bondi Beach terror attack which claimed the lives of 15 people, including a 10-year-old child.
The review, led by Dennis Richardson AC, will review Australia’s federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies.PM announces intelligence and law enforcement review
Former top bureaucrat Dennis Richardson is appointed to lead the review, which will report in April of next year.
It will assess whether multiple agencies, including the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and the Australian Federal Police, operated as effectively as possible prior to the attack.
Mr Albanese said his “heart breaks” for the families of those affected.
“Just over two weeks ago, antisemitic terrorists tried to tear our country apart, but our country is stronger than these cowards,” he said.
“They went to Bondi Beach to unleash mass murder against our Jewish community. We need to respond with unity and urgency rather than division and delay.”
Review to be given ‘full access’ to materials for Bondi inquiry
The review was slated to be completed and published in April.
Mr Richardson, the former head of ASIO and of the departments of defence and foreign affairs, has led previous reviews into the intelligence community and sections of Home Affairs.
Mr Albanese’s announcement followed another meeting of the National Security Committee in Canberra.
“Mr Richardson will assess whether Commonwealth agencies performed to maximum effectiveness,” he said.
“He will consider what these agencies knew about the alleged offenders before the attack, the information sharing between Commonwealth agencies and between Commonwealth and state agencies.”
The review will also consider what judgements agencies made and whether there were any additional measures that could have prevented the attack.
“Mr Richardson will [have] full access to all material he considers may be relevant to his inquiry,” Mr Albanese said.
“Departments and agencies will cooperate fully with the review and provide assistance in the form of documents, data, material and meetings.”
He added parliament would resume in 2026 to consider legislation “as soon as possible”.
Royal commission would ‘revive some of the worst examples of antisemitism’
The opposition has criticised the review, which Home Affairs spokesperson Jonathon Duniam has called “a sad turn of events”.Court documents shed light onto Bondi gunmen’s movements
Security camera footage captured the Bondi Beach gunmen carrying what appears to be firearms out of a south-west Sydney property on the morning of the terror attack, court documents reveal.
“Anthony Albanese never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity … we should be having a full Commonwealth royal commission,” he said.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said he was meeting daily with both the AFP and ASIO, noting all agencies “look forward” to the review.
“I’ve been deeply concerned in terms of social cohesion,” he said.
“When you think through some of the terms of reference that have been circulated for other forms of inquiry … the necessary outcome would be to re-platform and provide a public platform for some of the worst statements and worst voices.
“[It would] effectively revive some of the worst examples of antisemitism over the last two years.”
He said an independent review — instead of a royal commission — would allow the government to “deal squarely with the urgency of national security issues”.
“We need to have the sort of inquiry that keeps Australians safe, and that does not provide a platform for the worst voices,”
he said. (ABC)
