LATIKA M BOURKE: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged to act after interim Bondi terror attack report

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is being urged to deliver action to make good on his pledge to stamp out anti-Semitism from Australia, following the release of Royal Commission’s initial report into the Bondi terror attack.

Two gunmen, later found to have had an Islamic State flag in their car, killed 15 people during last year’s Hanukkah by the Sea celebrations at Bondi Beach.

Commissioner Virginia Bell released the Interim Report on Anti-Semitism and Social Cohesion on Thursday, although she kept large parts classified.

The report documented the many warnings made by ASIO director Mike Burgess that the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas had sparked a wave of worsening anti-Semitism.

The report also revealed that the organisers of the Hanukkah by the Sea repeatedly requested NSW policing presence to help protect the event, but were only assigned a mobile patrol that would check in with no need to stay for the duration of the event.

Virginia Bell made 14 recommendations, including speeding up the creation of a national firearms register and upgrading the Commonwealth Counter-Terrorism Coordinator’s role to full-time.

It also said the Government could consider making national security committee ministers undergo a counter-terrorism exercise within nine months of each Federal election.

Mr Albanese, who initially refused to call a Royal Commission into the Bondi massacre but was forced into holding the inquiry after a public backlash, has accepted all the recommendations.

Tahli Blicblau, CEO of the Dor Foundation — an anti-Semitism organisation established last year with the help of former treasurer Josh Frydenberg, told The Nightly that the Royal Commission’s interim report and findings were a welcome move, but only the start.

“We’re looking at this report as a point in time, as chapter one in a much longer story in a much longer book,” Ms Blicblau said.

“What it does do is clearly identify systemic failures in the system that were designed to protect Australians — our counter-terrorism infrastructure didn’t work as it was supposed to on the 14th of December.”

The report showed that CSG NSW, the Jewish community security organisation, had assessed that the likelihood of a terror attack against NSW Jews was likely.

CSG security guards and volunteers manned the event but are banned by NSW law from carrying guns.

Six days before the event, CSG NSW emailed NSW Police “requesting deployment of resources for the entirety of the event”.

“NSW Police stated that the event organiser was responsible for security for Chanukah by the Sea, and any police involvement was supplementary and focused on maintaining public order and community safety,” the Interim Report said.

“Information provided by NSW Police is that three general duties officers and one supervisor were allocated to the Chanukah by the Sea event and that the Eastern Suburbs PAC Commander attended the event at ‘various times’.”

Ms Blicblau questioned whether ASIO’s many warnings about an attack on Jewish Australians was properly absorbed by the system.

“Unfortunately, I think there are more questions than answers right now, but it’s a great step forward, it’s welcome,” she said.

“The big question to ask is whether ASIO’s National Threat Assessment was properly operationalised by the New South Wales police. It’s clear that the Jewish community had raised the alarm bells and had asked for support.

“It’s clear that ASIO had identified the threats, whether or not that was operationalised appropriately is a fair question to ask.

“I’m not sure that the report goes all the way to answering that question, and I’ll be very interested to hear what comes out as the commission continues to explore that further.”

She said the report had vindicated the many concerns voiced by the Jewish community about the escalation of anti-Semitic events, from online hate, to doxxing, to property damage, to fire bombings and then the attack.

“It certainly vindicates the cries for help in the context of that worsening environment,” she said.

She added that it vital for the commission to outline how to tackle the drivers of anti-Semitism.

“There are clear recommendations that can be adopted immediately and they should, I know the Government has accepted them, but we’re calling for not just acceptance but also for immediate action.

“The recommendations have been accepted on day one, so there’s not much more we can ask for but the test is going to be in actioning them.”