![\"Prime](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1767991756_306_d06fe1ad9e60d8e7b6b9be1db3670a85.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nPrime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia needed to unite in a “process of healing” in the wake of the Hanukkah terrorist attack at Bondi Beach.<\/p>\n
After weeks of mounting pressure, Mr Albanese on Thursday announced he would hold a federal royal commission into the massacre at the Jewish festival on December 14.<\/p>\n
In making the announcement, he said a federal royal commission was the best way to examine all the circumstances around the shooting in which 15 people were killed.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a Bondi royal commission after mounting pressure. (ABC News)<\/p>\n
“This is what Australia needs \u2014 to heal, to learn, to come together in a spirit of national unity,” he said.<\/p>\n
Here’s what we know so far about the recently-announced royal commission.<\/p>\n
What do we know about this royal commission?<\/p>\n
The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion will examine the events leading up to the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach on December 14, 2025.<\/p>\n
Former High Court justice to lead Bondi royal commission<\/a><\/p>\n After weeks of pressure, the Prime Minister announces a national royal commission to be headed by former High Court justice Virginia Bell.<\/p>\n It will be led by the Honourable Virgina Bell AC<\/a> \u2014 a former justice of the High Court of Australia.<\/p>\n The royal commission will be established by a so-called “letters patent”, a written request from the Governor-General to Ms Bell asking her to examine the circumstances of the attack itself, as well as the impact of antisemitism on Australia’s Jewish community and social cohesion.<\/p>\n The letters patent defines social cohesion as the “national consensus in support of democracy, freedom and the rule of law”.<\/p>\n What is a royal commission\uff1f Fifteen people were killed in the mass shooting on December 14. (ABC News: Abubakr Sajid)<\/p>\n A royal commission is considered the most authoritative and powerful form of public inquiry in Australia.<\/p>\n Royal commissions have broad powers to summon witnesses to give evidence and request documents from individuals or organisations.<\/p>\n They are called to examine matters of public importance and can make findings and recommend changes to policy and law.<\/p>\n Although the formal request for a royal commission is made by the Governor-General, it is the government of the day that sets out the terms of reference.<\/p>\n What will this royal commission investigate\uff1f<\/p>\n The letters patent sets out the terms of reference for the royal commission and directs Ms Bell to do the following:<\/p>\n Examine the nature and prevalence of antisemitism in institutions and society, and examine its key drivers in Australia, including religious and ideologically-motivated extremism and radicalisation.Make any recommendations to assist law enforcement, border control, immigration and security agencies to tackle antisemitism.Examine the circumstances surrounding the antisemitic Bondi terrorist attack on December 14, 2025.Make any other recommendations arising out of the inquiry that would contribute to strengthening social cohesion in Australia and counter the spread of ideologically and religiously-motivated extremism in Australia.Examine any matter reasonably incidental or that the commissioner believes is relevant to the inquiry.At 6:47pm, Australia lights a candle to dispel the darkness<\/a><\/p>\n Australians have taken a moment to light a candle and quietly remember the 15 people killed at Bondi.<\/p>\n An independent review into the actions of Australia’s security and intelligence agencies in the lead-up to the Bondi attack, overseen by former spy chief Dennis Richardson was previously announced by the federal government, and will now be wrapped into the royal commission.<\/p>\n The Richardson Review was due to report back to the government by April, and will now form part of the commission’s interim report.<\/p>\n Why the need for a federal inquiry?<\/p>\n A royal commission can be called by either a state or federal government but a government can only call a commission into matters that fall within its own jurisdiction.<\/p>\n That means a NSW-based royal commission would have been limited in what it could investigate, especially in relation to federal agencies such as the Australian Federal Police or the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation.<\/p>\n Examining the circumstances that led to the Bondi attack are among the terms of reference.\u00a0 (ABC News: Abubakr Sajid)<\/p>\n In announcing a federal royal commission, Mr Albanese said the implications of the terrorist attack and the rise of antisemitism were a national problem.<\/p>\n “Antisemitism isn’t confined to between the Tweed River and the Murray River,” he said.<\/p>\n NSW Premier Chris Minns had flagged a state-based inquiry into the Bondi attack but quickly shelved the idea once a federal royal commission was called.<\/p>\n When can we expect an outcome?<\/p>\n Ms Bell has been directed to hand down an interim report by April 30, 2026.<\/p>\n The federal government stated it did not want the royal commission to be a drawn-out process, nor did it want to risk the commission impacting on any future criminal proceedings.<\/p>\n Ms Bell has been instructed to hand down her final report by December 14 this year, on what will be the first anniversary of the terrorist attack.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia needed to unite in a “process of healing” in the wake 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