The abomination on Bondi Beach is a failure that extends beyond any politician or party
The true test is not whether we establish an inquiry but whether we have the courage to confront uncomfortable truths about how we arrived at this point.
Opinion
January 12, 2026 — 12.00am
January 12, 2026 — 12.00am
One year after the horrors of October 7, 2023, I gave a speech to the University of NSW warning that Australia was sleepwalking into a period of extremism and social disharmony. There was a conviction deficit among our leaders – political, institutional, cultural. The concept of “mateship and a fair go”, once thought to be the essence of the Australian character, seemed to be regarded as an outdated cliche.
I called on good people to speak up, loudly and often, against these trends. Another year on, December 14, 2025, the worst terrorist attack on Australian soil took place at Bondi Beach targeting Jews celebrating Hanukkah, killing 15 people and injuring dozens more.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at a Bondi vigil last month for victims of the massacre.Credit: Edwina Pickles
Whether the attack was preventable remains an open question. Antisemitic incidents had surged 316 per cent in 2024 compared to the previous year. The levels in 2025 were three times higher than any year prior to 2023. The warning signs weren’t subtle. They were screaming.
Yet here we are. Fifteen families shattered. A community traumatised. A nation forced to confront what it preferred to ignore.
The announcement of a royal commission was necessary and welcome. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese did the right thing by establishing clear and expansive terms of reference focused on antisemitism and social cohesion.
In calling this inquiry, the government will subject itself and our institutions to rigorous scrutiny. But this cannot be where things end. We must be clear-eyed about what this moment demands of us.
When I spoke of a conviction deficit in 2024, I was describing a broad leadership class of Australians that had failed to confront hard truths and make difficult decisions. The abomination on Bondi Beach has validated that assessment in the cruellest way.
This failure extends beyond any single politician or party. It encompasses our intelligence agencies, our law enforcement, our educational, cultural and health institutions, the union movement and the media.
All these institutions bear some responsibility for an environment where hatred could flourish and warnings could be ignored. The royal commission will identify these failures with unflinching honesty. But what should be the fundamental objectives?
