The Coalition today calls on the Prime Minister to establish a Commonwealth Royal Commission into the Bondi terrorist attack and the national antisemitism crisis, and is releasing detailed Terms of Reference to enable it to be established without delay.
The horror at Bondi was not an isolated act. It was the catastrophic consequence of a national failure to confront rising antisemitism, violent extremism and repeated warnings from our security agencies.
Australians deserve the truth about how this was allowed to happen, and they deserve accountability at the highest levels of government.
A state-based inquiry, while appropriate within its limits, cannot examine Commonwealth responsibilities, national security failures, migration and visa settings, intelligence coordination, or the actions and inaction of federal institutions.
The Leader of the Opposition Sussan Ley said only a Commonwealth Royal Commission has the power, scope and authority to examine the full picture.
"This is about truth, accountability and keeping Australians safe," the Leader of the Opposition said.
"In response to the horror at Bondi, the Prime Minister has announced proposals which are too little, too late and will take far too long.
"Last night at the vigil at Bondi the Jewish community made a clear call for a Royal Commission, we should listen to that call and we should.
"As a constructive Opposition, we have consulted carefully and drafted these terms of reference for a Commonwealth Royal Commission.
"I am willing to sit down with the Prime Minister immediately, to refine and finalise these terms of reference, so a Royal Commission can be established before Christmas."
The purpose of this Royal Commission is to uncover how antisemitism was allowed to escalate, how warnings were missed or ignored, and whether existing laws, institutions and funding arrangements failed to protect Australians.
"If the Prime Minister does not confront the causes of the Bondi massacre with honesty and resolve, the victims of this terrorist attack and their families will be denied the justice they deserve," the Opposition Leader said.
"Bondi is what happens when hate is tolerated and warnings are ignored.
"A state inquiry is fine but insufficient, only a Commonwealth Royal Commission can deliver real accountability.
"This Commonwealth Royal Commission will shine light into every dark corner where antisemitism has been allowed to fester and grow.
"Nothing is off limits. No institution is beyond scrutiny. Antisemitism is not a state problem. It is a national failure. That is why this inquiry looks across every level of government and every part of civil society."
The Prime Minister cannot continue to argue that a national tragedy can be investigated with a limited response.
"You cannot investigate a national failure with a state-sized response," the Opposition Leader said.
"This Prime Minister has the power that he has always had, to act on antisemitism. We call on him now, to summon the purpose the nation is demanding.
The Coalition stands ready to work immediately with the Government to establish this Royal Commission and ensure Australians receive the answers, accountability and reform they deserve.
Royal Commission into Antisemitism in Australia
Purpose
To inquire into the role of Commonwealth, State and Territory governments, law enforcement, intelligence agencies, the media, education, arts and cultural sectors, as well as broader civil society, in preventing, responding to, and mitigating antisemitism, including how their actions contributed to the Bondi Beach terrorist attack on 14 December 2025, and to make recommendations to strengthen Australia's counter-terrorism system.
Background and rationale
A Commonwealth Royal Commission into Antisemitism in Australia is urgently needed to address the clear systemic rise and threat of antisemitism across Australia, particularly following 7 October 2023, and tragically culminating in the Bondi Beach terrorist attack on 14 December 2025.
The urgency of this issue and the need for a national response is underscored by the sharp rise in antisemitic incidents nationwide, which are not confined to any single state. For instance, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry reported a 316 per cent rise in antisemitic incidents in 2024 compared to the previous year. In 2025, incidents remained unacceptably high, approximately three times higher than any year prior to 7 October 2023. This data clearly demonstrates that antisemitism is a nationwide and interjurisdictional issue, requiring a Commonwealth Royal Commission capable of examining actions across the Commonwealth, states and territories, as well as the broader societal and systemic factors that have led to this rise.
A Commonwealth Royal Commission will have the ability to make findings and recommendations for all levels of government, commensurate to the nationwide, whole of society and interjurisdictional scope of the threat, including any aspects of state sponsored foreign interference and terrorism. It would also have the capacity to investigate the systemic, societal, and cultural factors which must be addressed in order to effectively combat this issue. A state Royal Commission would not have the capability to appropriately cover the breadth of the issue.
A Commonwealth Royal Commission can also assess to what extent the actions or inactions of Commonwealth, state and territory governments, intelligence and security agencies, law enforcement and non-government institutions led to the Bondi Beach terrorist attack on 14 December 2025, and how these actions can be improved and strengthened to adequately prevent, respond and deter antisemitic violence and the current heightened risks posed by radical Islamic extremism, which was the root-cause of last week's attack. It would also examine the threat posed by far-left wing and neo-Nazi extremists, as well as the appropriateness of the current national terrorism threat level, which is currently classified as probable, and any improvements to that system.
Additionally, to ensure the Royal Commission can fully inquire into matters involving the States and Territories, including through the compulsion of witnesses and production of documents, the Royal Commission should be established and operated under cooperative arrangements, including parallel State and Territory Letters Patent appointing the Commissioners and conferring relevant powers to the Commonwealth inquiry, to avoid jurisdictional obstacles to a full cross-jurisdictional inquiry.
Composition of the Royal Commission
Due to the broad and interdisciplinary nature of the issues involved, the Royal Commission will require expertise from a variety of fields. It is proposed that the Commission be composed of three Commissioners with, at a minimum, the following areas of expertise:
- A representative of the Jewish community with expertise in antisemitism;
- An expert in counter-terrorism, national security, intelligence, and law enforcement; and
- A current, or former, superior court judge with relevant expertise in one or all of the above areas, who should lead the Commission.
The Commission should also provide an interim report to the Governor-General on or before 23 June 2026, setting out any interim findings and recommendations that the Commission considers appropriate.
Terms of Reference
The terms of reference (ToR) for the Royal Commission into Antisemitism in Australia requires the Commission to inquire into the following matters:
a. The nature, prevalence and drivers of antisemitism in Australia leading up to the Bondi Beach attack on 14 December 2025, including antisemitism based on race, religion and attitudes towards, or conduct relating to, the State of Israel;
b. Examination of how actions or inactions of the Commonwealth, State or Territory governments, law enforcement and National Intelligence Community (NIC) agencies, media, education, arts and cultural sectors, as well as broader civil society, since 7 October 2023, affected the prevention of, response to and mitigation of antisemitic violence, including the Bondi Beach terrorist attack on 14 December 2025;
c. The effectiveness of Commonwealth, State and Territory governments, including ministers, departments and agencies, in responding to the rise of antisemitism and the Bondi Beach terrorist attack, including the adequacy of existing laws, regulations and policies, and any further actions necessary to prevent, deter and respond to antisemitism;
d. Antisemitism on Australian university campuses and the arts and cultural sector, including:
i.The harassment, intimidation of, boycotts and/or violence directed towards Jewish students, academics, other university staff, creatives and artists;
ii. Advocacy for, or glorification of, antisemitic violence and support for listed terrorist organisations on university campuses, the arts and other cultural sectors;
iii.Whether universities, as well as institutions and bodies within university campuses, have implemented and enforced adequate security measures, policies, procedures, complaints-handling processes and disciplinary frameworks to protect students, staff and visiting academics and prevent and respond to antisemitism on campuses;
iv.Whether arts and cultural institutions, have implemented and enforced adequate security measures, policies, procedures, complaints-handling processes and disciplinary frameworks to protect staff and contractors, and prevent and respond to antisemitism in their organisation;
v.Whether the universities have done all they can to prevent the de facto boycotts of Israeli or Jewish academics students or staff;
vi.Whether teaching or teaching resources, particularly regarding Jews, Judaism Israel and the Middle East, are contributing to antisemitism and extremism on university campuses; and
vii.Any further legislative measures, policies and procedures required to ensure safety on campuses and strengthen accountability and compliance in relation to antisemitism in universities, the arts and cultural settings.
e. The sources and influence of domestic and overseas funding, donations or other forms of financial or material support entering Australian public institutions and their role in contributing to the promotion, organisation or amplification of antisemitism and extremist ideologies, including the adequacy of existing transparency arrangements, and any measures necessary to address risks;
f. Whether Australia's NIC agencies operate with appropriate legislated powers and are adequately equipped, trained and resourced to identify, assess and respond to antisemitism where it intersects with extremism, radicalisation or threats to public safety;
g. Whether Commonwealth, State and Territory governments, law enforcement and NIC agencies appropriately detected, assessed and prioritised the risk of radical Islamic extremism in the lead up to the Bondi Beach terrorist attack, including:
i.Allocation of counter-terrorism resources, staffing, specialist capability, and surge capacity;
ii.Operational thresholds and triggers for escalation, monitoring, disruption, and arrest;
iii.Whether warnings, referrals, or community intelligence were acted upon in a timely and effective way;
iv.Whether there was adequate information sharing and cooperation across law enforcement across all Australian jurisdictions and with NIC agencies;
v.The extent to which relevant agencies detected and understood interconnections between the perpetrators of the Bondi attack and support, sponsorship, or direction from overseas sources; and
vi.When relevant information and decisions were brought to relevant ministers, such as the Prime Minister, the Minister for Home Affairs, the Minister for Immigration, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Defence and/or the Attorney-General.
h. The adequacy of Commonwealth, State and Territory legal, law enforcement, NIC agencies and operational tools to prevent radical Islamic extremist mobilisation, including:
i.Offences and powers relating to advocating terrorism, incitement, recruitment, terror financing, extremist material, and preparatory acts;
ii.Effectiveness of mechanisms to address hate preachers and unlawful incitement;
iii.Disruption powers (including online disruption), the adequacy of communications interception laws and technology capability; and
iv.Use and effectiveness of control orders, preventative detention, and other preventative measures.
i. The effectiveness of prevention and early-intervention programs relating to radical Islamic extremism, including:
i.Identification of early warning signs and referral pathways;
ii.Deradicalisation, disengagement, and rehabilitation programs (custodial and community settings);
iii.Governance, oversight, evaluation, and outcomes measurement of such programs; and
iv.Whether programs were properly funded, targeted, and integrated with policing and intelligence settings.
j. How radical Islamic, far left and far right neo-Nazi extremism interacted with, amplified or exploited rising antisemitism and hate in Australia, including:
i.The relationship between extremist propaganda and antisemitic incitement;
ii.Pathways through which online antisemitic hate, harassment or propaganda may translate into real-world intimidation, threats or violence;
iii.Whether relevant agencies treated escalating antisemitism as a potential indicator of terrorist mobilisation risk; and
iv.Whether there are sufficient resources to deal with online coordinated hate campaigns developed both in Australia and overseas.
k. The effectiveness of immigration, border and citizenship policies in preventing applicants with extremist ideologies, including antisemitic views, from entering Australia or obtaining a visa or citizenship, including:
i.The adequacy of the Migration Act 1958 and associated processes in facilitating visa refusals and cancellations, and the efficacy of the associated review processes for applicants who hold antisemitic and extremist ideologies;
ii.The screening process for applicants from Gaza, and other high-risk areas, since 7 October 2023 in identifying antisemitic and extremist ideologies, as well as affiliations with or sympathy for listed terrorist organisations;
iii.Whether Department of Home Affairs staff are appropriately trained and equipped to identify antisemitic and extremist views in applicants; and
iv.Whether the Australian Citizenship Act 1948 adequately safeguards against individuals with extremist ideologies from obtaining citizenship.
l. The effectiveness of legal, law enforcement and NIC agency responses to rising antisemitism since 7 October 2023, including in the lead-up to and following the Bondi Beach terrorist attack, including:
i.Charging and prosecutorial decisions in relation to protest activity, prohibited symbols and gestures, hate speech, vilification and incitement to violence;
ii.Whether police are sufficiently trained and equipped to enforce current laws addressing prohibited symbols and gestures, hate speech, vilification and incitement to violence;
iii.Whether law enforcement have been adequately resourced, trained and equipped to address the heightened risk of antisemitic violence and terrorism; and
iv.The adequacy of coordination between law enforcement and NIC agencies in identifying and mitigating potential threats.
m. The adequacy of protective security and public space preparedness, including:
i.Whether places of worship, major sites, education and cultural facilities and public events have adequate physical security, including armed security;
ii.Whether police and other law enforcement have sufficient powers and resources to ensure public safety during protests and other major events;
iii.Whether the laws governing public protests are fit-for-purpose and adequate to prevent the promotion of extremism and antisemitism; and
iv.The extent to which public protests have contributed to antisemitic violence, extremism and undermined public safety.
n. The lead-up to, circumstances surrounding, and response to the Bondi Beach terrorist attack on 14 December 2025 specifically, including:
i.The relevant intelligence, information and warnings available to law enforcement, NIC agencies prior and in the lead-up to the event, and whether they were acted on appropriately;
ii.Whether the event had sufficient security planning, physical security measures and resources in place to ensure the safety of attendees;
iii.How one of the perpetrators was able to obtain a weapons licence and licensed firearms whilst on an Australian visa, and what policy and legislative changes are needed to address this gap;
iv.Factors that may have contributed to deficiencies in preventing or adequately responding to the attack, and what could have been improved, including leadership, law enforcement response and integration with NIC agencies, relevant systems, emergency management information sharing and other relevant matters;
v.Whether NIC agencies were sufficiently and appropriately communicating with trusted foreign intelligence services in the lead up to and post the event; and
vi.The support provided to victims, families and the broader Jewish community in the aftermath of the attack.
o. Whether government funding, grants or other taxpayer monies were provided to any Islamic extremist groups or organisations which spread antisemitism and whether any such rules which govern this expenditure should be amended;
p. Whether existing hate speech, vilification and incitement laws are adequate to prevent and respond to antisemitism, including laws concerning hate symbols and symbols associated with listed terrorist groups;
q. The role of anti-Israel and anti-Zionist attitudes and conduct in contributing to antisemitism in Australia, including the circumstances in which these constitute antisemitism, and measures necessary to address antisemitism arising in this context;
r. The role of social media platforms, digital communications and algorithms in facilitating and amplifying extremist propaganda and antisemitism, and whether legislative or regulatory measures are necessary to address these risks;
s. Whether current education and school lesson plans on the history and manifestations of antisemitism, not limited to the Holocaust, are adequate in ensuring that Australian society has a thorough understanding of the nature, drivers, history and dangers of antisemitism;
t. The impact that the rise of antisemitism has had on the daily life of Jewish Australians, including:
i.Their ability to feel safe and secure at their places of worship, education facilities, universities, workplaces, in major cities, public spaces and events, and in other aspects of everyday life;
ii.The impact on their physical and mental health and wellbeing;
iii.Whether victim support has been adequate, including compensation, counselling, security grants and acceptable reporting pathways for antisemitic incidents; and
iv.Whether there are robust protections in place for individuals who report antisemitic incidents.
u. The role of media reporting and education on Israel and the Middle East in driving antisemitism, extremist propaganda and recruitment;
v. The failure of the Australian Human Rights Commission to adequately root out antisemitism in its own ranks and to respond to and prevent the rise of antisemitism in Australia;
w. The failure of public institutions to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism in full and the consequent inadequate response from those institutions;
x. The extent to which the Special Envoy's Plan to Combat Antisemitism has been implemented, and, if not, how it should be implemented to adequately address the threat of antisemitism; and
y. Any other matters that the Commission considers relevant to the inquiry.
