Bondi security failures to be examined in next hearings
The hearings will focus on security and intelligence failures in the lead-up to the attack, which occurred during the Chanukah by the Sea event
The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion will hold its second public hearing block from May 25, examining the circumstances surrounding the December 14, 2025 Bondi Beach attack that killed 15 people.
The hearings will focus on security and intelligence failures in the lead-up to the attack, which occurred during the Chanukah by the Sea event.
Key areas of examination will include the terrorism threat level and security environment before the attack, the conduct of security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies, and what was known about the shooters and what was done with that information.
The Commission will also examine security arrangements for the Chanukah by the Sea event, a point of significant controversy following revelations in the interim report that NSW Police allocated only three general duties officers and one supervisor to the event, despite Community Security Group NSW assessing the threat level as “HIGH” and requesting police deployment “for the entirety of the event”.
The hearings will also explore how intelligence about individuals known to authorities is utilised and shared between agencies, including decisions about monitoring individuals and firearms licence applications.
Resourcing for counter-terrorism and the effectiveness of current powers, systems and processes of security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies will also be examined.
Where the sensitivity of evidence requires it, aspects of the hearings will be closed to the public to avoid prejudice to national security and the ongoing criminal proceedings against Naveed Akram, who has been charged with 59 offences including terrorism, 15 counts of murder and 40 counts of attempted murder. A further 19 charges were listed last week but have not yet been served.
His father Sajid Akram, 50, was shot dead by police during the attack.
The first hearing block, which began this week and will continue until the end of next week, has been examining the nature and prevalence of antisemitism in Australia. Commissioner Virginia Bell has heard heartbreaking testimony from witnesses about the impact of rising antisemitism on their daily lives.
Witnesses described children asking “why do they hate us?”, families hiding their Jewish identity in public, and healthcare workers feeling unsafe in their workplaces.
The Commission’s interim report, delivered on April 30, found no gaps in legal frameworks that would have prevented the Bondi attack, but identified that counter-terrorism capabilities require strengthening.
The report noted that Australia’s national terrorism threat level was “PROBABLE” in the lead-up to the attack, and that ASIO had made antisemitism “one of its most pressing priorities”.
ECAJ reported 2062 antisemitic incidents in the year after October 7, 2023 – a 316 per cent increase on the previous year.
The Royal Commission had received more than 5700 submissions as of April 30, an increase of almost 2000 in one week. More than 4000 submitters identified as Jewish.
The submission deadline has been extended to June 14.
Members of the public can view the livestream of the public hearings on the Royal Commission’s website.
A future hearing block will examine social media and universities, while Melbourne sittings are scheduled for mid-July.
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