Royal Commission Recommends Gun Reform and Expanded Policing for Jewish Events
A landmark royal commission into antisemitism, established following the Bondi shooting, has recommended prioritising gun reforms and extending policing arrangements for Jewish holidays to include other Jewish festivals.
The commission, Australia's most authoritative public inquiry, was announced in January, three weeks after two gunmen opened fire at a Jewish event at Bondi Beach, resulting in 15 fatalities.
The interim report, authored by former High Court judge Virginia Bell, presented 14 recommendations, with five remaining confidential due to national security concerns.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that a National Security Committee meeting had agreed to implement all of Bell's recommendations.
Details of the Bondi Shooting Incident
On 14 December last year, a father-and-son duo, armed with rifles and shotguns, targeted a Sunday afternoon event at a Bondi Beach park.
Sajid Akram, aged 50, was killed by police at the scene, while his son Naveed Akram, the other alleged attacker, was critically injured and later transferred from hospital to prison.
The 24-year-old Naveed Akram has been charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist attack.
Recommendations on Firearms and Policing
The report recommended that state and federal governments prioritise efforts to finalise and implement "nationally consistent" firearms reforms alongside a proposed gun buyback scheme.
Gun reform proposals following the shooting have met mixed responses from Australia's states and territories. For example, Queensland has rejected the buyback scheme and the cap on firearms ownership.
The report also advised that New South Wales (NSW) police procedures currently used for Jewish high holy days should be extended to other "high risk Jewish festivals and events, especially those with a public facing element."
Additional Recommendations
Other recommendations included a review of joint counter-terrorism teams in Australia, which comprise federal and state police forces and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), and making the counter-terrorism commissioner’s role full time.
The report further suggested that the prime minister and national cabinet ministers participate in counter-terrorism exercises within nine months following each federal election.
Legal Framework and Intelligence Assessment
The report stated that it had not identified any gaps in existing legal frameworks that would have prevented the attack or hindered law enforcement or other agencies’ response capabilities.
"In these respects, no issue requiring urgent or immediate action has been identified," the report said.
It added that any failures to identify and act upon intelligence prior to the shooting and in the allocation of police to the Hanukkah festival would be addressed in upcoming hearings, some of which may be closed to the public.
Prime Minister Albanese commented that the report indicated "no urgent changes" were necessary but acknowledged that governments "could always do better."
Community and Inquiry Perspectives
David Ossip, President of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, described the report as "an important first step" in examining the circumstances surrounding the attack but noted it was "only part of the picture."
Antisemitism was "not only a law enforcement issue" but a "societal issue" and "the environment for Jewish Australians had been deteriorating well before Bondi," he said.
The inquiry’s first series of public hearings, focusing on the rise of antisemitism in society and institutions and the events leading up to the mass shooting, is scheduled to begin on Monday.
A final report is expected to be delivered on the anniversary of the shooting.
Background on Inquiry Formation and Legal Reforms
In the days and weeks following the attack—Australia's worst mass shooting in nearly 30 years—Prime Minister Albanese initially resisted calls for a royal commission, expressing concerns it would create community disunity.
Instead, he commissioned a review of intelligence and law enforcement agencies by former spy chief Dennis Richardson to examine authorities’ actions before the attack and identify potential improvements.
However, after increasing pressure from victims’ families, politicians, public figures, and the broader community, Albanese reversed his decision. The NSW state royal commission and the earlier review were incorporated into the federal inquiry.
Subsequently, a series of legal reforms were introduced, including stricter gun ownership and regulation laws, along with enhanced hate speech legislation.
Upcoming Hearings and Inquiry Scope
The public hearings commencing Monday will focus on defining antisemitism, its manifestations in society, and the lived experiences of Jewish Australians across community sectors.
Judge Bell has previously cautioned that the inquiry’s scope will be limited by ongoing court proceedings involving Naveed Akram.
