Royal Commission

Albanese’s Refusal of a Royal Commission Into the Bondi Massacre Is Not Good Enough

1 January 2026

2.7 MINS

Indigenous Friends of Israel has issued a press release calling for a Royal Commission into the Bondi massacre and the escalation of antisemitism in Australia.

We are joining the call for a federal Royal Commission re the Bondi Beach massacre on 14 December, the first night of Chanukah when the Jewish community was gunned down by ISIS-inspired terrorists.

The refusal by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to set up a Royal Commission despite calls by the families of those killed and injured at Bondi Beach — along with a host of eminent Australians from the judiciary, national security, law enforcement, Jewish leadership and former MPs — is scandalous, and is adding fuel to the fire of a rage burning in Australia that could result in the Prime Minister’s downfall.

Instead, Albanese is setting up a law enforcement and intelligence review that does not mention antisemitism, Jews, or previous attacks on Jews, and does not include hate speech, hate preachers or pro-Palestinian protests that featured the flags or photos of leaders of terror groups. This will not cut it.

We need to get to the root causes of antisemitism and how it was allowed to escalate to the massacre at Bondi. The government needs to face its inadequate response, indifference and its own role in fanning the flames that led to Bondi. Albo’s “don’t blame me” won’t cut it either.

State Action Falls Short

At least Premier Chris Minns is showing some leadership by setting up a NSW Royal Commission. However, it will not have wide enough powers — and all states need to be looked at. The fact that Jewish security asked for more police at the Bondi event (a no-brainer) — and didn’t get it — is shocking.

PM Albanese’s excuse for not holding a Royal Commission shows he is fearful of the outcome. He said, “Royal Commissions can be good at deciding facts… (they are) not as good to consider things that are not agreed, where people have differences of views.”

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said it would further challenge our social cohesion. It would “provide a public platform for some of the worst statements and worst voices to effectively relive some of the worst examples of antisemitism over the last two years.” But the truth needs to come out and the Jewish community have said they need it to feel safe.

Sheina Gutnik, the daughter of Reuven Morrison, led the efforts of the families of victims of Bondi to write a joint statement to the Prime Minister calling for a Royal Commission. She told The Australian:

It’s the absolute audacity for them to come out and tell us how we are going to feel about this. It’s incomprehensible on Albanese, trying to dictate what is going to traumatise us. Let’s take these steps to ensure that there will be no further trauma.

Working Towards a Safer Future

PM Albanese thought that he and Foreign Minister Penny Wong could criticise Israel unfairly and with impunity and it not lead to serious consequences for Jewish Australians and not draw accusations of culpability for the Bondi Beach massacre. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke thought he could bring in 3,000 Gazans and some ISIS brides to keep his Muslim voters onside without it affecting social cohesion in Australia.

Albo was caught on the back foot and was like a deer in the headlights. Despite numerous warnings from the Jewish community and national security agencies, he took little action, and now plans an inquiry into national security and law enforcement agencies as a window dressing and cover for his own performance.

Our hearts grieve with the Jewish community, who have been exemplary citizens of Australia and deserve protection, admiration, respect and love.

Australia will never be the same again, just as Israel will never be the same again after October 7. However, many good-hearted Australians have come out of the woodwork to show support and care for our Jewish neighbours. We hope this will continue. It should not take a horrific tragedy to bring it about, but we have reached a turning point in facing and dealing with antisemitism in Australia. Let’s make sure we are up to the task.

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Images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

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7 Comments

  1. 0d8b2b239a6118f1646c56838a84c99c8eda9851e76257be42fbd91c1043e86b?s=54&d=mm&r=g
    Shane 1 January 2026 at 9:01 am - Reply

    hardly surprising, this government is so corrupt …

  2. 5088d005092eb79d788d2488fd329c398f9d4ca058f62ed38e136b35c84f504d?s=54&d=mm&r=g
    Jon D 1 January 2026 at 10:10 am - Reply

    Of course he won’t, he’d be calling for a Royal Commission on himself and his party. It would expose his own Palestinian and Hamas support over the years and his own hatred of Israel. His marching with them during the second terrorist attacks in Israel by suicide bombers, his yelling through a loudspeaker at the protest in support of them. The list goes on.
    He will duck and dodge it at any cost.
    I would never have dreamed that one day Australia would have an antisemitic PM that marches against Israel with the feral antichrist minded Palestine Hamas supporters but here we are, we have one.
    Quite sickening really. I change the chanel now every time he is on TV. I refuse to hear his voice and to see his face.
    He has effectively spat in the face of our Australian Jewish community recently refusing everything. He’s a disgrace.
    I pray he wakes up, repents and finds salvation.

  3. c05a9d2a9865fd00acfdc50085008756afc1c4aad6cc42a4249e3cc78b0cf01b?s=54&d=mm&r=g
    Christine Crawford 1 January 2026 at 11:00 am - Reply

    Thankyou Barbara and Norman for standing up for Australia

  4. f910f8648b50864a0a4fa9cff6838335a9df65757870ba46526d3fd0fd4d5768?s=54&d=mm&r=g
    Ian Moncrieff 1 January 2026 at 1:16 pm - Reply

    I believe Albo is scared – His weakness to confront reality (his chickens), will come home to roost if he sets up a Royal Commission.

  5. c9f04e6a2286335a3562407f45431a3a1c481453ecabb64ce69b13cd0d14a5a3?s=54&d=mm&r=g
    Col 1 January 2026 at 3:39 pm - Reply

    Labour was quick to call a royal commission when 50 Kiwis were slaughtered by a right-wing Australian terrorist.

    People need answers. That’s what RCs are for.

  6. 88895edd636b06243f9fd428bd489df187815eaea5fa354be4a52463f62a2932?s=54&d=mm&r=g
    Gail Petherick 3 January 2026 at 1:39 am - Reply

    Thank you, Norman. There has been such great injustice and a neglect of protection of the Jewish people within Australia. This has culminated after almost 2 yrs (since Oct 7, 2023) in the Bondi massacre. The consequences of inaction, favouritism to Imams and groups like Hit but Tahrir and unvetted Gaza migrants have shown a total lack of insight by our Prime Minister and Federal Govt. There has been no follow up of security or care shown to the Jewish people who have lived as hard-working families within our nation, who came here seeking peace. As you say the situation now is to face a Royal commission and be found wanting, or to try to evade the consequences.
    May God help us pray for justice to come back into our nation and for the Jewish people to be protected, comforted and given grants to fortify synagogues, schools and meetings places. May new laws be introduced to protect the innocent.
    Never again is now and we must make a united stand against anti Semitism.

  7. 512e9ce03dddd351694be567063f2e2704b64f97f78424260660e23d79e226b0?s=54&d=mm&r=g
    Maureen Lange 3 January 2026 at 9:49 am - Reply

    This man has to go. The people need to reclaim the Australia we knew and loved. Our young ones are in dire need of being re educated as to who we really are,

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