Bondi Beach terror assault: Anthony Albanese publicizes main overview into Australia’s intelligence companies
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a major review into the performance of ASIO and other authorities in wake of last Sunday’s Bondi Beach attack.
Albanese said former intelligence chief Dennis Richardson will lead the review of federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
The review will examine the performance of intelligence agencies including ASIO in the lead-up to last Sunday’s Bondi Beach terrorist attack
Albanese announced today the review would be based in his department and be made publicly available when it is finalised in April 2026.
‘The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet will examine whether federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies have the right powers, structures, processes and sharing arrangements in place to keep Australians safe in the wake of the horrific antisemitic Bondi Beach terrorist attack,’ Albanese said in a statement released today.
‘The ISIS-inspired atrocity last Sunday reinforces the rapidly changing security environment in our nation. Our security agencies must be in the best position to respond.’
The intelligence review announcement was foreshadowed on Saturday when Albanese backed a ‘state-based royal commission’ after NSW Premier Chris Minns said the ‘powers of a wide-ranging inquiry were needed to determine what went wrong in the lead up to the events of last Sunday’.
Federal MPs including Sydney MP Allegra Spender have led calls for a Royal Commission but government ministers played down the need for a such an investigation. saying it ‘would take too long and draw resources away from law enforcement’.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a major review into the performance of ASIO
Bondi Beach attack suspect Naveed Akram is in custody
Former intelligence chief Dennis Richardson (above) will lead the review of federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies
Spender, whose electorate of Wentworth takes in Bondi, said a federal investigation ‘should accept public submissions and be developed in consultation with the Jewish community’ but have ‘broad-ranging investigatory powers akin to a royal commission’.
Albanese’s shock announcement comes off the back of other federal government plans announced in the week since the attack.
The federal government responses include the biggest gun buyback since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, strict limits on how many guns a person can own and plan to combat antisemitism.
Richardson has served as secretary of both the Defence and Foreign Affairs and Trade departments as well as Australia’s ambassador to the United States.
It’s also been reported the national security committee of cabinet has continued to meet over this weekend while federal cabinet will reconvene on Monday.
Albanese also plans to attend a commemoration event at Bondi Beach later this afternoon.
Suspected gunman Naveed Akram, 24 was charged with 59 offences including 15 counts of murder.
The attack occurred just before 7pm on Sunday, when Naveed and his father Sajid, 50, allegedly opened fire during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, killing at least 15 people and injuring 40 more.
Akram, who allegedly shot at a crowd of hundreds alongside his father Sajid – was charged after he spent two days in a coma after being shot by police.
The charges against him include one count of committing a terrorist act, one count of discharging a firearm in public, one count of causing a public display of a prohibited terrorist symbol, one count of placing an explosive in or near a building with intent to cause harm, and 40 counts of wounding with intent to murder.
‘Police will allege in court the man engaged in conduct that caused death, serious injury and endangered life to advance a religious cause and cause fear in the community,’ NSW Police said in a statement.
‘Early indications point to a terrorist attack inspired by ISIS, a listed terrorist organisation in Australia.’
His father, Sajid, was fatally shot by police during the nine-minute attack.
