Australia will on Tuesday open a government-backed inquiry into antisemitism, triggered by last year’s deadly attack at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration in Sydney’s Bondi Beach that left 15 people dead. The mass shooting - which occurred in December - intensified public debate on gun control and prompted renewed calls for stronger measures to address antisemitism.
Police allege the two gunmen, a father and son, were inspired by Islamic State. The federal government has established a Royal Commission - the strongest form of public inquiry in Australia, with the power to compel witnesses to give evidence - to investigate the circumstances around the attack as well as wider issues of antisemitism and social cohesion.
Retired judge Virginia Bell will preside over the Royal Commission. She is expected to make a brief opening statement at a Sydney court later on Tuesday outlining how she will approach the inquiry’s terms of reference. That sitting will not include any testimony or the presentation of evidence.
The Royal Commission is due to present its report by December this year. The decision to launch the inquiry followed criticism of the government’s earlier resistance to calls for such a probe. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had initially opposed establishing a Royal Commission, arguing the process would take years - a position that drew reproach from Jewish groups and families of the victims.
The Bondi shooting followed a series of antisemitic incidents around the country, including the firebombing of a Melbourne synagogue. Those events helped galvanize demands from community groups for stronger responses from authorities.
The establishment of the Royal Commission formalizes a government-led, judicially guided examination of both the specific attack and broader societal issues cited in the inquiry’s remit. The proceedings and eventual report are expected to shape public discussion and policy considerations through the remainder of the year.