Key Takeaways
- The Australian government has established a review, led by Dennis Richardson, to examine the response of security and law enforcement agencies to the Bondi terrorist attack.
- The review’s terms of reference do not address antisemitism or violent extremism, prompting criticism from Jewish organisations and advocates.
- The government has pledged to strengthen hate speech legislation, introduce tougher gun import laws, and implement a national buyback scheme in response to the attack.
- A royal commission has been called for by some to investigate the root causes of antisemitism and the government’s response to the attack.
- The review is expected to report in April, with Industry Minister Tim Ayres stating that it will deliver a broad and effective assessment of what is required to strengthen Australia’s response to terrorist attacks.
Introduction to the Review
The Australian government has faced criticism for its response to the Bondi terrorist attack, with some accusing the prime minister of hiding behind a smoke screen and using national security as a political shield. The government has established a review, led by former ASIO chief and secretary of defence and foreign affairs departments, Dennis Richardson, to examine the response of security and law enforcement agencies to the attack. The review’s terms of reference include analysing the effectiveness, powers, and processes of security and law enforcement agencies, as well as the information known about the attackers before the attack.
Terms of Reference
The Richardson review’s terms of reference do not address antisemitism or violent extremism, prompting criticism from Jewish organisations and advocates. Peter Wertheim, co-head of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, stated that the review’s terms of reference were "too narrowly focused" on intelligence and law enforcement agencies, and omitted the "wider context in which those agencies operate". Jeremy Leibler, the president of the Zionist Federation of Australia, said that the omission of the word "antisemitism" from the review’s terms of reference was "indefensible". The review will examine what relevant Commonwealth agencies knew about the alleged offenders before the attack, and what interaction and information sharing occurred between Commonwealth agencies, and between Commonwealth and state and territory agencies.
Government Response
The government has pledged to strengthen hate speech legislation, introduce tougher gun import laws, and implement a national buyback scheme in response to the attack. Prime Minister Albanese stated that the whole framework of the review was about addressing the root causes of the problem, and that it would look at a comprehensive examination of what occurred, if there are any gaps, and what response is required. Industry Minister Tim Ayres stated that the review would be "more far-reaching" than a royal commission, which he said would "be a symbolic approach about division and delay, rather than an approach that is about getting practical responses right now".
Call for a Royal Commission
A royal commission has been called for by some to investigate the root causes of antisemitism and the government’s response to the attack. Jewish organisations, including the Australian Union of Jewish Students and the Rabbinical Council of Australia, have penned an open letter demanding a federal royal commission. The letter comes after similar letters were published from 17 victim’s families and 210 senior members of the Australian bar. The call for a royal commission has been supported by some advocates, who argue that it is necessary to address the underlying issues that contributed to the attack.
Conclusion
The Richardson review is expected to report in April, with Industry Minister Tim Ayres stating that it will deliver a broad and effective assessment of what is required to strengthen Australia’s response to terrorist attacks. However, the review’s terms of reference have been criticised for not addressing antisemitism or violent extremism, prompting calls for a royal commission to investigate the root causes of the problem. The government’s response to the attack has been met with criticism, with some accusing the prime minister of hiding behind a smoke screen and using national security as a political shield. As the review progresses, it remains to be seen whether it will address the concerns of Jewish organisations and advocates, and whether it will provide a comprehensive and effective response to the attack.
