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family among recent victims Sydney Massacre on the Jewish holiday released an open letter on Monday calling for more federal action to investigate rising anti-Semitism and security lapses behind Australia’s worst mass shooting in three decades.
Two gunmen are accused of shooting to death 15 people and wounding 40 others in a Hanukkah attack. bondi beach December 14th.
In an open letter to the Prime Minister Anthony AlbaneseThe families of 17 people killed and injured have called for a royal commission into a federal inquiry into the rise in anti-Semitism in Australia since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in 2023 and the consequent failure of security agencies.
Royal commissions are Australia’s most powerful form of public inquiry, and witnesses can be jailed for deliberately withholding evidence.
“We need to know why clear warning signs were ignored, how anti-Semitic hatred and Islamic extremism were allowed to grow dangerously unchecked, and what changes must be made to protect the future for all Australians,” the letter said.
But Albanese continues to resist calls from family members, Jewish leaders and opposition lawmakers for such a royal commission, saying it will take years to provide answers.
Instead, he announced the terms of an investigation into retired bureaucrat Dennis Richardson, which will look into potential flaws in procedures and laws that led to the shooting, which was allegedly inspired by the Islamic State group. The survey will report back next April.
“My heart breaks for the families of the victims of Bundy’s horrific rampage,” Albanese told reporters. “My heart goes out to them during this extremely painful time.”
“As Prime Minister of Australia, my job is to act in the national interest. It is in the national interest that we undertake the Richardson review of national security,” Albanese added.
Albanese said federal authorities would support a royal commission promised by the Sydney-based New South Wales government.
The family’s letter said the state investigation was not enough.
“The rise of anti-Semitism in Australia reaches far beyond the jurisdiction of one state. It is a national crisis that requires a strong response,” the families said.
Bondi’s usual New Year’s Eve celebrations were canceled as the country suffered its worst mass shooting since Tasmania in 1996, when a lone gunman killed 35 people. Tickets sold at the annual music festival in Bondi will be refunded, organizers say.
Security will be stepped up at Sydney’s major celebrations, with heavily armed police expected. More than 1 million revelers are expected to gather on the waterfront to watch the fireworks show centered on the Sydney Harbor Bridge.
New South Wales Premier Chris Mings said he was in discussions with the federal government to involve the military in increasing security in Sydney.
The NSW Police Operations Shelter was established in the weeks following Hamas attacks on Israel to reduce anti-Semitic and anti-social behavior and other hate crimes in Sydney. The operation received additional resources after the Bundy attack.
“This is the most serious incident of terrorism ever to impact our state and our country, and it requires a comprehensive response,” Mings told reporters.
One of the alleged gunmen, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police at the scene. His 24-year-old son Naveed Akram was injured and faces dozens of charges, including 15 counts of murder.
Albanese sought to shift public attention away from the perpetrators and toward the heroes of the tragedy. Last week, he announced plans to create a National Bravery Award to honor civilians and first responders who have encountered “the worst evil” in attacks.
The most prominent was bystander Ahmed al Ahmed, a 43-year-old Syrian-Australian shopkeeper who disarmed an attacker before being wounded by a shotgun pellet.
More than 43,000 people around the world donated more than A$2.5 million ($1.7 million) to a fundraising campaign to thank him for his intervention.
Street artist Jarrod Grech attracted media attention last week when he created a portrait of Ahmed in a Melbourne alleyway. Ahmed was depicted as a hospital patient and the banner read: “True Blue”.
According to the Australian National Dictionary Centre, the Australian colloquial meaning is “very sincere; very loyal; expressing Australian values”.
“I like to portray big moments, one that’s about the Australian spirit, so true blue,” Grech told The Associated Press on Sunday.
“So it’s about the behavior that he did, and I think that’s the real blue thing,” Grech added.