{"id":228508,"date":"2026-01-09T04:53:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T04:53:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/228508\/"},"modified":"2026-01-09T04:53:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T04:53:08","slug":"the-bondi-royal-commission-will-be-a-long-term-test-of-albaneses-leadership","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/228508\/","title":{"rendered":"The Bondi royal commission will be a long-term test of Albanese’s leadership"},"content":{"rendered":"

The calling of a national royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion, however belatedly, is only the beginning of what is now a term-long test of leadership for Anthony Albanese.<\/p>\n

As the prime minister did the rounds on breakfast television the morning after announcing the Commonwealth-level probe<\/a>, he remained defiant in his insistence this was no backflip.<\/p>\n

Albanese’s suggestion he was merely taking the time to get the shape and scope of the inquiry right, all the while “listening” to the families of the Bondi victims and broader Australian Jewish community, is farcical.<\/p>\n

One only need look back at his comments in the past few weeks to see he was, until very recently, emphatically arguing against holding a royal commission.<\/p>\n

Loading…<\/p>\n

But having now arrived at his new position, focus will quickly shift.<\/p>\n

Instigating the inquiry will quiet some of the political noise derailing the government’s agenda \u2014 including its broader response to the Bondi attack.<\/p>\n

But the remainder of Albanese’s term will be punctuated with inflection points in the royal commission process.<\/p>\n

Bondi was always going to dominate politics<\/p>\n

The potential summoning of current or former ministers to give evidence, the interim security report to be delivered in April and final recommendations in December are among the moments that will dominate the next 12 months.<\/p>\n

Then in 2027 will come the pressure on Labor to respond to and implement the recommendations.<\/p>\n

Even that protracted timeline relies on former High Court judge Virginia Bell managing to deliver a final report to the government by the end of this year \u2014 something several legal experts view as unfeasible.<\/p>\n

Who is antisemitism Royal Commissioner Virginia Bell? <\/a><\/p>\n

Former High Court judge Virginia Bell will lead the inquiry into antisemitism. But who is the new commissioner?<\/p>\n

Royal commission or no, the Bondi terror attack was always going to dominate the next few years of Australian politics.<\/p>\n

Parliament will soon be recalled to debate sweeping changes to hate speech laws, including complex proposals like establishing a new listing regime to outlaw membership and support for designated hate groups.<\/p>\n

Also on Labor’s agenda is its proposed gun buyback scheme<\/a>, responding in full to a 2025 report from antisemitism special envoy Jillian Segal, and a 12-month committee looking at antisemitism in educational settings.<\/p>\n

How Albanese handles each of these components, while also maintaining Australia’s seemingly fragile social cohesion, will be critical in determining what else he has scope to focus on for the next two years of his tenure.<\/p>\n

Danger lies ahead for Ley<\/p>\n

There are also dangers for Opposition Leader Sussan Ley.<\/p>\n

The royal commission was a political win for the Coalition, which had agitated for one to be called since before Christmas.<\/p>\n

The Bondi attack more broadly has had a unifying effect on the opposition that had previously seemed impossible.<\/p>\n

\"Sussan<\/p>\n

Sussan Ley visits the Bondi Pavilion memorial site. (ABC News: Teresa Tan)<\/p>\n

But having got what she wanted from the government, Ley must resist the temptation to continue brawling with Labor over the minutiae of the royal commission lest she risk undermining its credibility before it even hands down a single recommendation.<\/p>\n

She must also find a way to meet community expectations around gun control, an area of reform strongly opposed by her Nationals colleagues.<\/p>\n

Still, the bigger test of leadership naturally falls on Albanese.<\/p>\n

The prime minister’s critics feel he failed to meet the moment in the immediate aftermath of the Bondi attack, but with this royal commission he has a chance to get it right.<\/p>\n

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