EDITORIAL: Bondi Junction horror will forever change Australia. United in grief, we are thankful for heroes

A young mother with her baby in a pram.

An iconic Aussie suburb known throughout the world.

A bustling shopping centre on a Saturday afternoon during school holidays.

The green and gold jumper of one of our national sports teams.

Symbols of the Australian way of life now permanently altered. Irrecoverably damaged.

It’s hard to fathom the devastating tragedy that has unfolded.

It’s also hard to fathom just how much it will change the way Australians go about their everyday lives.

Suddenly a simple trip the store with your child is no longer immune from menacing thoughts and emotions.

Six innocent lives taken. Others still critical.

Among the fatalities is 38-year-old mother Ashlee Good. She was attacked along with her nine-month-baby daughter.

The baby remains in hospital.

Ashlee’s last brave moments alive were spent courageously protecting her child from the crazed knifeman.

Another fatal victim is Dawn Singleton, the daughter of iconic businessman John Singleton.

She had only recently bought her wedding dress and sent out invitations for the ceremony.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described it as “a tragedy that should never have occurred”.

“People should be able to go about their Saturday afternoon shopping in peace and security without thinking that there is a risk involved,” he said.

“My heart goes out to all of the loved ones of the victims of this extraordinary tragedy.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns called it a “horrifying and violent attack on innocent people who were doing something everybody does on the weekend … going shopping.”

“Whether you know the individuals who have been killed or not, you’re grieving,” he said.

The NSW leader concedes some in the public would be “angry” and that right now there will be “more questions than answers”.

However, he vowed the inquiry is ongoing and he would make public “accurate” information as it comes to hand.

“It’s very important to say that NSW will bounce back. We’re a strong community,” he said.

He praised the doctors, paramedics and nurses in the public hospital who saved lives in difficult circumstances by working around the clock.

He also called out the “instinctive bravery under terrible circumstances” from ordinary members of the public who “cornered and confronted a murderer”.

And, of course, Mr Minns highlighted the sheer heroism of NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott.

“(She) ran towards danger, showed professionalism and bravery and without a shadow of a doubt saved many, many lives,” he said.

“The best in this State confronted one of the worst acts we’ve ever seen.

“We’re very, very grateful to the men and women who stood up in Bondi Junction in the last day.”

Mr Minns also said the entire state of NSW would get behind the loved ones of victims.

Indeed, the entire the country will.

Responsibility for the editorial comment is taken by WAN Editor-in-Chief Anthony De Ceglie.