Key Takeaways:
- The Australian government is facing criticism for its response to the recent Bondi shooting and antisemitism in the country.
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is being accused of being too weak in his response to the crisis, particularly in the days following the Hamas attacks in Israel.
- The government is being urged to implement tougher hate speech laws and to establish a national register of gun ownership.
- The opposition is trying to keep the focus on antisemitism, while avoiding full support for gun law changes.
- The question of how to tackle antisemitism is complex, and some of the recommendations in the Segal report are unrealistic.
Introduction to the Crisis
Visiting Ahmed al-Ahmed’s hospital room, Anthony Albanese appeared humbled by the bravery of the 44-year-old who had tackled one of the gunmen in the recent Bondi shooting. Despite being weak from bullet wounds, Ahmed was strong, and the prime minister told him, "Your heart is strong." This moment of strength and bravery is a stark contrast to the criticism that Albanese is facing for his response to the crisis. The prime minister’s critics, including former treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, say that he was too weak in the days following the Hamas attacks in Israel, leaving Australia’s Jewish community exposed to abuse, attacks, and fear.
Criticism of the Government’s Response
The Coalition has criticized Albanese for not moving quickly to implement the recommendations from the review into antisemitism by special envoy Jillian Segal. Five months after presenting her findings, Labor is yet to formally respond. The usual bipartisan spirit in the face of death and suffering has been missing this week, with some of the criticism being political and opportunistic. However, the government cannot say that it has done everything possible to stop antisemitism. Tougher hate speech laws, building on the ban on Nazi symbols passed in February 2025, should be a priority when MPs return to Canberra next year.
The Need for Gun Law Reform
The government should also ask tough questions of security agencies, including ASIO, regarding the alleged gunmen’s possible travel to the Philippines for military-style training. Australians are right to ask how someone who had been interviewed by authorities over links to radicalized individuals could have had access to a cache of weapons. Albanese has made gun law reform an immediate priority, despite former prime minister John Howard calling the action "a diversion." A national register of gun ownership should have been established sooner, and speeding up its implementation to 2026 is necessary. To achieve real action on gun reform, Albanese will have to stare down opponents, including One Nation leader Pauline Hanson.
The Complexity of Tackling Antisemitism
The question of how to better tackle antisemitism is not as simple as the opposition might suggest. Some of the recommendations in Segal’s report are unrealistic, such as establishing a definition of antisemitism for use across all levels of government and monitoring media organizations for impartiality and balance. The report also proposes cutting funding from universities and cultural institutions found not to be doing enough to address antisemitism, albeit as a last resort. It is not clear why Segal would have more success limiting toxic content on social media platforms, which are serious about solving the problem, let alone those cultivating division for profit.
The Opposition’s Response
The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, has been challenged on whether better education and media monitoring could really have prevented an attack like this. When pressed, she insisted only that "from today, everything must change." Her likely rival, Andrew Hastie, quickly seized on immigration, insisting it was time to ask "who are we letting into our country?" It seems almost inevitable that some figures in the Coalition will seek to capitalize on the shootings to bolster their anti-immigration agenda into 2026, something premiers and the prime minister should loudly oppose.
Conclusion
As Australia mourns the victims of the Bondi shooting, Albanese’s own strength will be just as important as the bravery seen at Bondi. The prime minister must navigate the complex issue of tackling antisemitism while also addressing the need for gun law reform. The government must be willing to take tough action to prevent such attacks in the future, including implementing tougher hate speech laws and establishing a national register of gun ownership. Ultimately, the prime minister’s ability to lead the country through this crisis will be a test of his strength and leadership.
