The Coalition has escalated its push for a national royal commission into the Bondi terror attack and rising antisemitism, releasing draft terms of reference and urging Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to act without delay.
Coalition Leader Sussan Ley said the proposed Commonwealth Royal Commission would focus on truth, accountability and community safety, arguing that Australians deserved a full and transparent examination of the attack and the broader threat of antisemitic extremism.
“Today, the Coalition releases the draft terms of reference for a Commonwealth Royal Commission into the Bondi attack and antisemitism in Australia,” Ms Ley said.
“This is about truth, accountability and keeping Australians safe.”
Ms Ley said support for a national inquiry extended well beyond the Coalition, including the Jewish community, legal experts and members of the Labor Party’s own backbench.
“Prime Minister, it is time for you to stand with the Jewish community, with the Coalition, with your own backbench and millions of Australians besides, who all support establishing this Commonwealth Royal Commission today,” she said.
“The time for words is finished. The time for action is now.”
Earlier, Liberal Senator Dave Sharma questioned the government’s resistance to a federal royal commission, pointing to Mr Albanese’s past support for the Robodebt Royal Commission.
Senator Sharma said the Prime Minister had justified that inquiry on the basis of “untold carnage in the Australian community”, the need for victims and the public to know the truth, and to ensure such an atrocity could never happen again.
“Which of the above does not apply to Bondi?”
The renewed calls come as Mr Albanese has pledged swift and united national action to combat antisemitism and extremist violence following what he described as an “ISIS-inspired, antisemitic act of terrorism” at Bondi.
Speaking at Parliament House in Canberra, the Prime Minister said the attack was intended to divide Australians but instead prompted unity, with thousands attending a vigil at Bondi just days later.
“Love will triumph over hatred, and light will triumph over darkness,” Mr Albanese said, apologising to Australia’s Jewish community for the trauma they have endured.
“As Prime Minister, I feel the weight of responsibility for an atrocity that happened while I hold this office.”
Mr Albanese confirmed Cabinet and the National Security Committee had met repeatedly since the attack, with the government consulting on urgent legislative reforms aimed at cracking down on hate speech, extremist groups and radicalisation.
However, he defended the government’s decision not to establish a federal royal commission at this stage, instead commissioning a rapid security review led by former diplomat Dennis Richardson. The Prime Minister said the review would deliver actionable findings within months rather than years, while confirming the Commonwealth would fully cooperate with a royal commission announced by the New South Wales Government.
“What we need now is urgency and unity, not division and delay,” Mr Albanese said, urging bipartisan support for the proposed laws and potential firearms reforms.
“This is not a time for partisanship. It is a time for the country to come together.”
The government’s proposed measures include new aggravated offences for hate preaching that advocates violence against protected groups, tougher penalties for existing hate-speech crimes, and making hate motivation an aggravating factor in sentencing for Commonwealth offences.
Further reforms under consideration include powers to list and ban “prohibited hate organisations”, criminalising membership, recruitment and support, alongside stronger visa cancellation provisions. These would allow the Home Affairs Minister to revoke visas where individuals are suspected of engaging in vilification, hate speech, displaying hate symbols or associating with terrorist or prohibited hate groups.
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