Premier admits state failed to protect citizens

Premier Chris Minns acknowledged the state failed to protect its citizens on December 14 during parliamentary question time on Tuesday.

“It is the highest duty of any government to protect its citizens, and it is my sad duty to report that on that day, in that community, we did not do our job,” Minns said.

“Things need to change. Six months or 12 months or two years from that date it cannot also be the case that we have lost the necessary momentum to make changes to confront that kind of evil where it exists in our community and society.”

Deputy Premier and education minister Prue Car said trauma-informed counselling had been provided to schools, including by a specially trained psychologist from Israel, and that extra security support had been offered to schools across the eastern suburbs and those with a high proportion of Jewish students.

“I am sad that we are in a situation where I need to say this as the education minister, but we have offered extra security support,” Car said.