The royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion will hold a second block of public hearings to examine the lead-up to December’s Bondi massacre, focusing on information known about the two gunmen and the actions taken by security agencies.
On 14 December 2025, two antisemitic gunmen, allegedly inspired by Islamic State, opened fire on a Hanukah celebration at a park behind Bondi beach, killing 15 people and injuring 40. One gunman, Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police; his son Naveed Akram, 24, has been charged with 59 offences, including 15 of murder.
The commission’s interim report found that the Jewish security organisation Community Security Group (CSG) had warned police in November that a terrorist attack was “likely” and noted a high level of antisemitic vilification. However, NSW Police appeared not to have completed a comprehensive written risk assessment for the event. NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon acknowledged the finding but said there was a “policing presence on that night”.
The hearings will also examine security arrangements for the event, decisions on firearms licence applications, and how intelligence is shared between agencies. The commission recommended nationally uniform gun laws and a gun buy-back scheme, criticising the pace of reform as “unduly leisurely”.
In its first week of hearings, the commission heard evidence from Jewish Australians detailing antisemitic abuse in public places, schools, universities and workplaces. One anonymous witness, ABJ, said she quit volunteering at a crisis counselling hotline after 13 years due to consistent antisemitic calls, which surged after the 7 October Hamas attacks.
