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Families of those who died in the Bondi Beach attack in Sydney called for an independent and impartial inquiry into the reasons for an increase in antisemitism in Australia, and if any potential government or security failures contributed to the attack.

On December 14, Sajid Akram, 50, and his son, Naveed Akram, 24, shot dead 15 people from the Jewish community who had gathered on the Bondi Beach to celebrate Hanukkah. Sajid was shot dead by police on the scene, while Naveed was injured, and now faces up to 54 counts of murder.

In an open letter addressed to Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, the bereaved families requested for an immediate establishment of a commonwealth royal commission to look into the growing number of cases of antisemitism in the country.

They urged Albanese to investigate the causes for the rise in attacks, including “law enforcement and intelligence failures” that led to the deadly shooting.  

“We need answers and solutions,” they wrote.

“We demand answers to why warning signs were ignored, how anti-Semitic hatred and extremism were allowed to dangerously go unchecked, and what changes must be made to protect all Australians going forward.”

 

Also Read: Australia to honour ‘heroes’ who confronted Bondi shooters

Albanese has so far resisted the calls for a federal inquiry, citing a need for urgent action rather than “waiting years for answers”.
On Monday, the prime minister said they “didn’t have time to wait for commission findings; we need to get on with any changes that are required”.

“I have nothing but sympathy for those families. My job, as prime minister, is to look at how we build unity, how we build social cohesion, and how we do what the nation needs at this very difficult time,” he said.

Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke, agreed with the prime minister, saying a national royal commission could give “some of the worst statements and worst voices” a platform to relive “the worst examples of antisemitism over the last two years”, which, he said, was not in the interest of unity or national security.

The Albanese government brought in stricter gun possession laws this month and floated measures such as a ‘gun buyback scheme’ to prevent any future crime.