Albanese Orders Royal Commission Into Antisemitism After Bondi Terror Attack

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Thursday that Australia will establish a Commonwealth Royal Commission into antisemitism and social cohesion, following weeks of mounting pressure from victims’ families and Jewish community leaders after the Bondi Beach terrorist attack.

The decision marks one of the most significant national responses to antisemitism in Australia’s history. A Royal Commission is the country’s most powerful public inquiry mechanism, with extensive investigative authority to compel testimony and documents, and to make formal recommendations.

The announcement comes in the shadow of the December 14 Chanukah attack at Bondi Beach, where a father and son opened fire on Jewish Australians during a public celebration, killing 15 people and wounding dozens more. Authorities have described the shooting as an antisemitic terrorist attack inspired by ISIS, and the deadliest mass shooting in Australia in decades.

Albanese said he reached the decision after meeting directly with Jewish leaders and the families of victims. “I’ve taken the time to reflect, to meet with leaders in the Jewish community, and most importantly, I’ve met with many of the families of victims and survivors of that horrific attack,” he said. He added that a Royal Commission was necessary “to heal, to learn, to come together in a spirit of national unity.”

The inquiry will examine four central areas: 1. The nature, prevalence, and drivers of antisemitism in Australian society. 2. The response of law enforcement, border control, immigration, and security agencies. 3. The circumstances leading up to the Bondi attack 4. Additional measures to strengthen social cohesion and counter extremism. A final report is due by the end of the year.

Albanese confirmed that former High Court justice Virginia Bell would serve as sole commissioner. Bell previously served on Australia’s highest court and has chaired several major national inquiries. While some within the Jewish community raised concerns over past protest-law rulings, the prime minister said her legal background and investigative experience made her uniquely qualified for the role.

Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong briefed Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar ahead of the public announcement, updating him on the government’s decision to establish a Royal Commission into the Bondi Beach massacre and the rise of antisemitism in Australia, according to Israeli media reports.

Jewish community leaders welcomed the announcement, describing it as a necessary response to an unprecedented surge in antisemitism. Daniel Aghion, president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said the government had “made the right decision” after sustained advocacy from victims’ families and communal organisations. He said the community expected a full examination of government policies and institutional failures that allowed antisemitism to escalate. “This is the only way that Australia’s time-honoured standards of decency and fairness can be upheld,” Aghion said, adding that Jewish organizations would cooperate fully to ensure the experiences of Jewish Australians are heard.

The Zionist Federation of Australia also endorsed the inquiry. Its president, Jeremy Leibler, said the establishment of the Royal Commission was a necessary step and that its terms of reference provided “a strong foundation for meaningful outcomes.” ZFA chief executive Alon Cassuto said the Jewish community had been living with the consequences of a sustained and unprecedented rise in antisemitism. “This Royal Commission must help answer how this was allowed to take hold in Australia and what must now change,” Cassuto said.

Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Jillian Segal said the decision was “the right one and an important one,” stressing that a wide-ranging and independent inquiry was warranted given the scale of antisemitism, and that her work on prevention and community safety would continue alongside the commission.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns welcomed the federal inquiry and confirmed the state would not proceed with a separate investigation, pledging full cooperation and continued engagement with the Jewish community.