The Albanese Government has accepted all 14 recommendations made by antisemitism royal commissioner Virginia Bell in her interim report. Source: The Australian.
Among them is the recommendation that the Prime Minister and members of the National Cabinet participate in a counter-terrorism exercise within nine months of each federal election.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke and Attorney-General Michelle Rowland yesterday said the interim report “makes clear that our existing legal and regulatory frameworks did not hinder our agencies in preventing or responding to the Bondi attack, and that no urgent legislative changes are required to keep Australians safe”.
“However, the royal commission also notes that we must strengthen prevention, detection and responses to antisemitism,” they said.
In its formal response to the commission’s interim report, the government accepted that procedures adopted by NSW police in respect of Operation Jewish High Holy Days should apply to other high-risk Jewish festivals and events, particularly those that have a public-facing element.
Ms Bell found in her interim report that NSW police seemingly conducted no formal risk assessment before the Chanukah by the Sea event where 15 people were gunned down, despite warnings from private Jewish security of a “high” terror attack risk.
The report said NSW police could provide no written risk assessment for the December 14 event, and noted a difference in how NSW police and the Jewish-run Community Security Group NSW (CSG NSW) interpreted preliminary discussions about safety resourcing.
“There may be benefit in NSW police and the AFP meeting together regularly with CSG NSW at the operational level, to discuss the threat environment faced by Jewish Australians, planning for upcoming events and receiving CSG assessments and threat information,” Ms Bell said.
Potential failures to identify and act on intelligence ahead of the Bondi attack, or in allocating police resources to the Chanukah by the Sea event, will be addressed in the commission’s next block of hearings.
Five confidential recommendations were made in the interim report and have been accepted but not revealed by the government.
The government said that in the months since the Bondi attack it had strengthened support for victims and families, expanded protective security for Jewish schools, synagogues, community centres and events, and increased focus on identifying and disrupting those who incite or plan violence.
FULL STORY
Government accepts all royal commission findings after Bondi terror attack (By Stephen Rice and Elizabeth Pike, The Australian)
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ABC, SBS reject federal government, special envoy’s definition of antisemitism (Sydney Morning Herald)
