Albanese pledges to implement all interim recommendations

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged to implement all recommendations from the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion relevant to the Commonwealth, declaring “we’re not sitting back and just reading this document, we’re acting on it”.

Commissioner Virginia Bell’s interim report, delivered on Thursday, found Australia’s counter-terrorism capabilities require strengthening despite no gaps in legal frameworks that would have prevented the December 14 Bondi Beach massacre that killed 15 people.

“Commissioner Bell has found that our existing legal and regulatory frameworks did not hinder our agencies in preventing or responding to the Bondi attack, and that no urgent changes are required to keep Australians safe,” Albanese said.

“But the commissioner does make 14 recommendations which go to enhancing our national counter-terrorism arrangements and capabilities.”

The National Security Committee met on Thursday morning to adopted the relevant recommendations.