Australia launches probe into antisemitism after Bondi mass shooting

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday announced a wide-ranging commission into antisemitism, weeks after a deadly shooting at a Jewish holiday gathering at Sydney’s Bondi Beach left 15 people dead.

The inquiry — the most powerful form of public investigation in Australia — will be led by former High Court judge Virginia Bell and will examine the nature, prevalence and drivers of antisemitism, along with the circumstances surrounding the Bondi attack, Albanese told reporters.

The commission will also make recommendations on law enforcement responses, social cohesion and countering violent extremism. Its final report is due by 14 December, marking one year since the shooting during a Hanukkah celebration.

Calling the attack an act of terror, Albanese said it was “an antisemitic terrorist attack, aimed at Jewish Australians, inspired by ISIS,” adding that it was the deadliest such incident on Australian soil.

The surviving suspect, Naveed Akram (24), faces multiple charges, including murder and terrorism, and is yet to enter a plea. His father, Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police during the incident.

The announcement follows weeks of calls from lawmakers across party lines, Jewish community leaders and public figures for a national-level inquiry, rather than a state-based probe limited to New South Wales, where the shooting occurred.

Albanese had earlier expressed concern that a royal commission could delay findings but said on Thursday that public consultation had shaped his decision.

“I have listened. In a democracy, that’s a good thing,” he said, rejecting suggestions that he had bowed to political pressure.

The prime minister said an ongoing review of Australia’s security and law-enforcement agencies launched after the attack would now be folded into the royal commission.

Albanese also flagged a forthcoming legislative agenda in response to the incident, including proposals to tighten Australia’s already strict gun laws and introduce measures to criminalise the rhetoric of so-called hate preachers, which the government says often falls below the current threshold for prosecution.

The royal commission is expected to play a central role in shaping Australia’s long-term strategy to combat antisemitism and extremist violence.