Australian PM Sets Terms for Review of Bondi Beach Attack
Review led by former intelligence chief to assess agency response and preventative measures ahead of December 14 mass shooting
Canberra, Dec 30: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday announced the terms for an independent review into the Bondi Beach terror attack, while rejecting calls to launch a royal commission.
The review, headed by former intelligence chief Dennis Richardson, will examine the effectiveness of multiple agencies, including the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP), in the lead-up to the attack. It will also assess the judgements made by these agencies and explore whether additional measures could have prevented the incident. The review is expected to be completed and its findings published by April, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Opposition parties and some families of the victims have urged the Prime Minister to initiate a royal commission, Australia’s highest-level inquiry, citing the public significance of the December 14 mass shooting.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke defended the independent review, saying it allows the government to address urgent national security issues more swiftly than a royal commission would.
The Bondi Beach attack claimed 16 lives, including that of the alleged gunman. Authorities have identified the perpetrators as 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram.
