Sussan Ley says royal commission must be on victims’ terms, welcomes Albanese's apparent reversal
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More news: Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has welcomed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s apparent reversal on a Bondi royal commission, but says any terms of reference must be on the victims’ terms.
After previously ruling out a royal commission into the deadliest terror attack on Australian soil, Albanese flagged a softening of that stance on Tuesday.
In a statement shortly after the prime minister's press conference, Ley accused Albanese of having “delayed, deflected and talked past those most affected for too long” though welcomed any potential reversal.
But Ley insisted that the terms of reference for any royal commission must be approved by the families of the attack’s 15 victims, many of whom have accused the Albanese government of failing to curb a rise in antisemitism in Australia.
“If he proceeds now, he must do so on the terms of victims and families, not on his own political timetable,” Ley said.
Ley had previously outlined her own terms of reference for a royal commission, Australia’s highest form of inquiry. They include covering the “systemic rise of antisemitism” in Australia — including the role of both radical Islam and neo-Nazi extremism — and an examination of decisions made by Commonwealth and state agencies in the lead up to the attack. Three commissioners would oversee the inquiry.
What they said: “If the prime minister is serious, there is a clear starting point. Victims’ families must agree the terms of reference are satisfactory before they are finalised,” Ley said in a statement.
“Anything imposed without their confidence would be a continuation of the same disregard they have already experienced.”
Anthony Albanese softens language, leaves door open to Bondi royal commission
The news: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has softened his language on a royal commission into the Bondi terror attack after relentless pressure, saying the government is “continuing to examine everything else required”.
The context: Albanese has consistently rejected calls from the Opposition and many in the Jewish community for a royal commission, instead implementing a review into potential intelligence failures to be run out of his department.
Labor’s explanation for rejecting the probe has shifted over time, but included claims a royal commission would take too long to report back and could give hate speech a platform.
But after reports from news.com.au that the prime minister had privately flagged a willingness to shift on that stance, Albanese’s language softened at a press conference on Tuesday.
The prime minister insisted the intelligence review, to be run by experience bureaucrat Dennis Richardson, remained the government’s “priority”, along with passing hate speech laws.
“We are continuing to examine everything else required,” he told reporters in Cloncurry, Queensland.
“[We are] working with the community and will continue to do that.”
Asked to rule out a royal commission as he had done previously, Albanese pointedly declined to answer directly.
“The New South Wales government have set [out that] they will have a royal commission,” he said.
“We are talking to New South Wales about how that would operate and talking with the community. We are engaged with the community.”
Albanese has faced relentless pressure to implement a royal commission after the Bondi massacre, which would include analysis of a spike in antisemitism during Israel’s deadly response to Hamas’ attack on 7 October 2023.
In December, two IS-inspired gunmen allegedly opened fire at a Hanukah event in Bondi, killing 15 innocent people.
One shooter was killed in the attack, while his alleged accomplice was taken to hospital and has since been charged with a range of offences.
Albanese is reportedly considering bringing forward the opening of parliament to mid-January, as the government seeks to push through changes to firearm and hate speech laws.
While a royal commission can be established without parliament’s approval, the Coalition is preparing to push a motion in parliament to call for the move.
What they said: “I continue to be engaged with leaders in the Jewish community, and I am talking and meeting on a daily basis with people to make sure we do everything possible,” Albanese said.
The sources: Prime Minister press conference, news.com.au
