What we learned, Thursday 18 December
And that’s where we’ll leave you this evening. Here’s a snapshot of what happened today:
Anthony Albanese expressed regret and says he accepts some responsibility in the wake of the Bondi attack, saying more could have been done to prevent what happened on Sunday.
The prime minister has outlined the additional measures that will be taken, including new powers for the minister for home affairs to reject visas “for those who spread hate and division”.
The NSW treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, announced a support package for the survivors and families of the Bondi attack victims.
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, said he doesn’t want federal agencies investigating the Bondi attack “delayed or deterred” by a royal commission into antisemitism.
Adam Smyth, 50, was identified as the 14th victim of the attack.
There are now 16 people receiving care in Sydney hospitals for injuries sustained during the terror attack on Sunday.
Archer Park, the site of the attack on Sunday, and the footbridge the gunmen occupied were reopened to the public this afternoon.
Funerals for some of the people killed in the attack on Sunday were held today, including Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman and 10-year-old Matilda, the youngest victim of the shooting.
The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, says the prime minister should recall parliament before Christmas to “to pass legislation to eradicate antisemitism and to strengthen Australia’s counter-terrorism laws”.
The Coalition has laid out an extensive program that it wants to enact including increasing electronic surveillance.
Former Liberal treasurer Josh Frydenberg denied his fierce criticism of Anthony Albanese over the Bondi attack was politically motivated.
Thanks for your company today. We’ll be back with you first thing tomorrow morning with more. Until then, look after yourselves and your communities.
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Family of Bondi victim Peter Meagher issue statement
The family of Peter Meagher, who was killed on Sunday, have spoken about their loved one today too:
Our family is heartbroken by the loss of our beloved Peter. He was a cherished brother, husband and uncle whose kindness, generosity and love touched everyone who knew him. Our lives have been changed forever.
We are grateful for the outpouring of support from friends and the community. As we begin to come to terms with what has happened, we ask for privacy and the space to mourn together as a family. We also ask that the media respect our wishes and remember Peter for the life he lived, not for the way it ended.
Peter was a member of the NSW Police Force for 35 years, rising to the position of Detective Sergeant, until he retired in 2020. In retirement he became a freelance photographer and was on assignment in Bondi on Sunday to photograph the Chanukah celebration. Peter also spent countless hours doing volunteer work in retirement including in various roles for his beloved Randwick Rugby Union Football Club.
The tragic irony that Peter spent so long in the dangerous front line as a police officer and was struck down in retirement while pursuing his passion for taking photos is hard for us to comprehend.
Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected by this tragedy.
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Statement from family of Bondi victim Alex Kleytman
The family of Alex Kleytman, who was killed on Sunday, have released this statement:
Alex Kleytman was murdered on Sunday, 14.12.2025. He was a fascinating person of many talents and an unwavering spirit. He was also very stubborn!! Born in 1938, he survived the hardships of World War II in frozen Siberia, carrying with him a lifetime of extraordinary stories of resilience, survival, and unexpected luck. He worked as a civil engineer and estimator his entire life, first in the former Soviet Union and then in Australia. He retired in Australia at 76 and worked on many essential projects at Transfield and John Holland, including the Desalination plant, the Olympic stadium, and various highways. He was very valued at his work, and we received many emails and photographs from his colleagues during these dark times.
A former colleague described Alex as, “a talented engineer by training, Alex became one of the founding members of what became John Holland Water and was an instrumental part of this business, which developed into the most successful water infrastructure delivering company in Australia.”
After he retired, he first became a lobbyist, passionately advocating against some aspects of the Sydney Light Rail. Then he found his real passion: writing books about the lives of Jewish people in the Soviet Union. He published two books: ‘Relay of Memory: Known and Unknown Jews’, and ‘Stalin’s Bloody Five-Year Plan 1948-1953’ (the latter was co-authored with my mum, Larisa). These books, grounded in thorough research, were embraced by the community and presented at many public events.
He played table tennis and chess with passion and enthusiasm throughout his life and was a school champion. He loved his wife, Larisa, with unparalleled passion, the kind you only see in the movies. He and Mum loved to dance and were quite good, winning a dancing competition at work. Alex discovered Judaism in his 50s and became observant after immigrating to Australia, where he married Larisa AGAIN on the 25th anniversary of their civil wedding, but this time according to Jewish law. Equally, he cherished Australia, the Australian way of life, the freedom, democracy, people, all of it. In his presence, no one could ever criticise anything about his beloved new home.
Alex tragically died on 14 December 2025, doing what he loved most: protecting Larisa, standing proudly as a Jew, and celebrating the Festival of Lights. The two gunmen killed him, but his memories, his legacy, and his books will bring light for generations to come. He’s survived by his wife, two children and 11 grandchildren. Loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend, and a passionate professional across many fields, you touched so many lives. You will be deeply missed and never forgotten.
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Messages of support left on window of Sydney Jewish bakery after announcing closure
Notes of support have been pinned to the windows of Jewish bakery Avner’s, in Sydney’s Surry Hills, which announced its closure yesterday in the wake of the Bondi terror attack.
You can read more about the bakery here:
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Police arrest a number of men in south-western Sydney – reports
A number of men have been detained during a police operation at Liverpool in Sydney’s south-west, according to reports.
NSW police confirmed that a police operation is under way on George Street, Liverpool. In a statement, they said there is no ongoing risk to the community and that further information will be available on the incident later today.
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Family of Boris Tetleroyd issue statement
The family of Boris Tetleroyd, who was killed on Sunday and whose son is being treated in hospital for injuries sustained in the attack, have said:
Boris was loved by everyone he met. He was well known to his neighbours, deeply connected to our wider community, and cherished by his family.
He was profoundly loved and adored by his sons Yaakov and Roman and by his wife Svetlana. He is also deeply loved by his brother, aunt, nieces, nephews, cousins and all who had the privilege of knowing him.
Boris was a gentle man, a gifted musician and a valued member of his community. We honour his life and the love he so generously gave to those around him.
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Family of Bondi victim Dan Elkayam share statement
Earlier we brought you some statements from the families of people who were killed in Sunday’s attack. The family of Dan Elkayam are among those families who have shared their thoughts in the wake of their loved one’s death. They said:
On the 14th of December 2025, the first night of Hanukkah, Dan was at the beach with his friends for the lighting of the Hannukah Candles. He was playing football, celebrating the holiday, and enjoying a sunny summer day at Bondi Beach.
During a mass shooting, Dan was shot in the back while trying to run away.
He was murdered because he was Jewish.
He leaves behind his partner in Australia, as well as his parents, brothers, nieces, and nephews in Paris, France, where he was born and raised. He was deeply proud of his community back home in Le Bourget.
Dan was a 27-year-old IT engineer who was working and being sponsored by NBCUniversal. He was beginning to build his future in Australia, a country he loved.
Football was one of Dan’s greatest passions. He played at the 2022 Maccabiah Games and for several teams in both France and Australia, including Waverley and Rockdale, and was in the process of signing with Dolls Point.
Dan loved life – fully and intensely. He travelled the world and was known for his gentle, kind, fun and loving nature, making friends wherever he went. Alongside football, he had a deep connection with nature. He was a certified scuba diver and an explorer at heart, always eager to discover new places, cultures, and experiences.
Dan brought light wherever he went and inspired countless people through the way he lived. His smile could light up any room. He was pure joy – a beautiful and humble soul.
To say that Dan will be missed is not enough. He was a person who truly wanted to do good in the world, to share his love of life and his sense of adventure with everyone around him.
It is now our responsibility to carry forward the light that Dan spread. He was surrounded by loved ones from all walks of life and all communities, and in times as dark as these, we all have a duty to continue spreading kindness, compassion, and joy – in his name.
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Latest update on injured victims from NSW Health
There are now 16 people receiving care in Sydney hospitals for injuries sustained during the terror attack on Sunday, according to the latest update from NSW Health.
As of 4pm, Thursday 18 December:
One patient is in a stable condition at Prince of Wales hospital.
One patient is in a critical but stable condition and one patient is in a stable condition at St George hospital.
One patient is in a critical condition, two patients are in a critical but stable condition and one patient is in a stable condition at St Vincent’s hospital.
One patient is in a critical condition and four patients are stable at Royal Prince Alfred hospital.
Three patients are in a stable condition at Royal North Shore hospital.
One patient is in a stable condition at Liverpool hospital.
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Park and footbridge at centre of attack reopen to the public
Archer Park, the site of the attack on Sunday, and the footbridge the gunmen occupied was reopened to the public this afternoon.
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School and university bodies welcome Gonski-led antisemitism taskforce
Education bodies have welcomed the prime minister’s announcement earlier today of an antisemitism education taskforce, with the peak body for independent schools calling it an “important step” to improve social cohesion.
The taskforce, to be led by David Gonski, will include representatives from Australia’s education system and the antisemitism envoy, Jillian Segal, to strengthen how schools prevent, address and respond to antisemitism.
Independent Schools Australia chief executive, Graham Catt, said education played a “critical role in confronting hatred early, building understanding, and strengthening social cohesion across our communities”:
Our national response must be thoughtful, evidence-based and focused on student wellbeing; and support practical, school-based approaches that help young Australians learn and thrive together.
The Group of Eight (Go8), which represents sandstone universities, including the University of Sydney and the University of Melbourne that faced backlash from some Jewish groups for its response to pro-Palestine encampments on campus, said the committee was a “direct response to the urgent need for decisive action”.
Earlier this week, the Go8’s board agreed on the need to establish the committee in light of the terror attack in Sydney.
Its chief executive, Vicki Thomson, said the Go8 would “work closely” with the government’s taskforce and commended the government on adopting a “whole of sector” approach.
All sectors of the Australian community must work hand in hand on these important initiatives to prevent and respond to antisemitism across society and on our university campuses.
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Flower memorial filled with cartoon and soft toy bees in tribute to 10-year-old Bondi attack victim
The Bondi Pavilion flower memorial to the 15 victims of Sunday night’s terror attack has been filled with bees in tribute to 10-year-old Matilda, who was killed in the shooting.
At Matilda’s funeral earlier this afternoon, mourners were handed stickers bearing her name in her favourite colour, purple, with a picture of a cartoon bee.
When Matilda’s father spoke at the Bondi vigil on Tuesday night, he said Bee was Matilda’s middle name and he asked people to use the symbol to remember her.
On Thursday afternoon, a poster reading “Matilda” with a bee had been stuck on to the walls of the pavilion, next to black and yellow balloons. There were many plush bees tucked beside flowers, while candles that had been burning were embellished with Matilda’s stickers.
One poster read “Waltzing Matilda”, a tribute to her family revealing they had named her Matilda as it was the most Australian name they could think of.
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Leeser says Coalition would terminate arts and university funding for ‘antisemitic activity’
The shadow minister for education and the arts, Julian Leeser, also spoke at the Coalition press conference. He described the last few days as having been “the most harrowing few days in the history of the life of the Australian Jewish community”.
Leeser said there was “white hot, palpable anger” in the Jewish community:
While there is sadness in the Jewish community, there is also white hot, palpable anger at a prime minister who has had so many opportunities to take action, so many opportunities to show leadership. But on every occasion, his work and his words missed the mark and it always comes too late.
Referring to antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal’s report, Leeser continued:
She talked about the way in which antisemitism had festered in education and the arts. She noted that antisemitism has been ingrained and normalised among in academia and in the cultural space, that dealing with those issues is urgent. And she particularly noted the problems with young Australians under 35 who, if they continue to hear a diet of antisemitism on campus and in the cultural space, will become fully fledged Jew haters.
Leeser then laid out the four key proposals the Coalition wants to enact regarding the arts and education sectors in particular. He said:
Firstly, we’re going to terminate arts, university and other grants where those grants are supporting antisemitic activity.
Secondly, we will ensure that current students and future students understand Jewish history, Jewish identity, the various manifestations of antisemitism not only limited to the Holocaust.
Thirdly, we will make combating antisemitism a condition to be a higher education provider because we know that it has festered on our university campuses for far too long.
And finally, we will continue to press the commission of inquiry into antisemitism on campus, a matter I raised two years ago.
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Shadow home affairs minister suggests Coalition plan to prevent repatriation of Islamic State sympathisers
Among the positions Sussan Ley and the Coalition have laid out in this press conference is to prevent the repatriation of Australian citizens who are wives, widows and children of dead or jailed Islamic State fighters.
The shadow home affairs minister, Jonathon Duniam, said at this press conference:
They’re sympathisers with Isis. Isis is the group that we understand and we know in fact inspired the acts that took away 15 innocent lives on Sunday. This government, the minister for home affairs, has been engaged in secret meetings with third parties to bring back these so-called Isis brides into Australia at a time when we have a terror threat level of probable. This is bad activity and bad faith actions by this government.
You can read some background to this issue here:
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Sussan Ley urges PM to 'immedately' recall parliament, lists Coalition's preferred responses
The opposition leader has been speaking in Sydney. Sussan Ley says the Coalition wants the prime minister to recall parliament before Christmas to “to pass legislation to eradicate antisemitism and to strengthen Australia’s counter-terrorism laws”.
Ley continues by listing the elements of the Coalition’s preferred program, which includes:
Making the antisemitism envoy a statutory office under its own legislation.
Terminating Creative Australia funding agreements for artists who “support antisemitic activities”.
Review educational curricula with reference to Jewish history, identity and culture
Combating antisemitism.
Making “combating antisemitism a provider condition” for tertiary educational institutions.
Legislating a “no funding trigger” for Australian Research Council grants where “the grant produces or supports antisemitic activity”.
New electronic surveillance legislation.
Powers to strip dual citizenship from and deport “extremists and radicals”.
Preventing visas being granted “to any person coming from a terrorist enclave, for example, any Hamas controlled territory”.
Elevated security and character assessment checks “beyond current processes and protocols through enhanced interrogation by authorities”.
That’s not an exhaustive list. Ley also argued that there ought to be more funding provided for counter-terrorism policing.
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Taskforce tackling antisemitism across education system to start ‘straight away’
The federal education minister, Jason Clare, has issued a statement after the announcement that business leader David Gonski would chair a taskforce to tackle antisemitism across the education system.
Clare says:
I want to thank David Gonski for agreeing to lead this work. He is a towering Australian, a leader in the Jewish community, and has dedicated his life to public service.
He knows our education system inside out and knows how powerful a force for good it can be.
We need to make sure our children are learning about the evils of antisemitism and the horrors of the Holocaust. And we need our universities to do better to stamp out antisemitism.
We are convening a meeting of the taskforce for tomorrow so they can get started straight away.
Updated
If you missed the prime minister’s press conference and his announcement of new hate speech laws, you can catch up here:
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NSW treasurer announces enhanced security measures for Christmas and NYE period
The NSW government is working on enhanced security measures for the Christmas period and New Year’s Eve, as Sydney prepares for some of its biggest events.
The NSW treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, said at a press conference today:
Public safety in the lead-up to Christmas and New Years’ Eve is something we are actively working on and we will have more to say about the security arrangements that will apply as people celebrate Christmas, participate in Boxing Day events and on New Year eve.
We do want to be clear, people need to feel safe as they travel around. And we will have more to say about the security arrangements in coming days.
He declined to elaborate on the police investigations stemming from the Bondi beach attack last Sunday, other than to point out that the police commissioner, Mal Lanyon, has said that the immediate threat has been resolved.
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‘Sudden and senseless loss’: family of Bondi shooting victims Boris and Sofia Gurman share statement
The family of Boris and Sofia Gurman, who were killed on Sunday after attempting to stop one of the gunmen, have shared this statement about their loved ones:
We are heartbroken by the sudden and senseless loss of our beloved Boris (69) and Sofia Gurman (61).
They had been married for 34 years, with their 35th wedding anniversary approaching in January. In just two days’ time, we were meant to celebrate Sofia’s birthday – a moment that now feels incredibly hard to comprehend.
Boris and Sofia were deeply devoted to their family and were well known in their community for their kindness, warmth and willingness to help others. Boris was a retired mechanic, and Sofia was working at Australia Post for the past five years. They lived honest, hardworking lives and treated everyone with care and respect.
We are devastated by this loss and ask for privacy as we grieve. We are deeply grateful for the love and support shown to our family during this unimaginable time.
You can read more about the Gurmans and the extraordinary sacrifice they made trying to stop Sunday’s horror here:
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‘No words can describe the pain of our loss’: family of Adam Smyth release statement
Earlier we brought you the news that Adam Smyth, 50, had been identified as the 14th victim of the attack. His family have shared this message for the public:
We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Adam Smyth (50), father of four children and husband to Katrina.
Adam and Katrina were walking at Bondi Beach on Sunday evening when they found themselves in the middle of the horrific and devastating attack.
We are all trying to come to terms with the senseless shooting, of which Adam was a victim.
No words can describe the pain of our loss.
Adam and Katrina were living their best lives together. Their shared love of family and friends, travel and sport – if not always the same team – made their time together truly special.
Adam’s loves in life were his English Premier League football team Liverpool, his AFL team the Sydney Swans, the NRL’s Manly Sea Eagles and his beloved pets.
We will forever cherish the time we have had with him. Adam was a generous and kind person who will be dearly missed and is forever irreplaceable.
You’ll never walk alone (YNWA).
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Business NSW welcome ‘meaningful’ support package for business affected by Bondi shooting
Business NSW has welcomed the elements of the government’s support package for small businesses affected by the Bondi terror attack.
The package has been jointly funded by the state and federal government, mainly under disaster recovery funding arrangements. For businesses, it includes up to $25,000 for affected small businesses in the immediate vicinity of the attack, and those who can show exceptional circumstances.
Business NSW chief executive, Daniel Hunter, was consulted on the terms of the support package. He said in a statement this afternoon that the funding was “an important step” in the community’s recovery:
Our Jewish community has been attacked in the most heinous way and the pain and trauma from this act will be felt for a long time.
Local businesses are integral to Bondi’s social fabric. They are made up of people – workers, families and neighbours – who have been deeply affected by this tragedy.
This support is a meaningful step in helping businesses and the community recover.
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Family of Bondi terror attack victim Marika Pogany share touching statement
Family members of some of the victims of Sunday’s terror attack have shared statements with the media about their loved ones who have died.
The family of Marika Pogany write the following:
Marika, known lovingly to all as Omi, was a beautiful mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and steadfast friend, whose warmth and energy touched countless lives. Vibrant and full of life, she brought joy and energy into every room and found her greatest happiness surrounded by her adoring family. Her darling son Romy was her greatest achievement and her world.
Marika was fortunate to have the opportunity to come to Australia in 1968 from Czechoslovakia with Romy lovingly accompanied by her protector, her brother Ivan. She became an Australian citizen in 1972 where she embraced her life as an Aussie from that point on. She was very proud of her country.
She had an extraordinary gift for connecting with people. Her kindness, laughter, and generosity left a lasting mark on everyone she met, and her incredible network of friends was a true reflection of the love and loyalty she inspired.
Deeply devoted to her community, she gave her time and heart in service to others, delivering meals and helping people in need, embodying love in action.
Though she is gone, her light will continue to shine brightly through the family and friends who were so blessed to have her in their lives. Forever our gorgeous Darlink.
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NSW opposition leader arrives at funeral of Tibor Weitzen
Mourners are continuing to arrive at the funeral of Tibor Weitzen, 78, where around two dozen police are stationed in addition to private security.
Weitzen’s grandson, Mendy Amzalak, told The Australian his grandfather was a man full of “life, joy, smiles and laughter” who died shielding a family friend from bullets.
Among them is the NSW opposition leader, Kellie Sloane, who just arrived after attending the funeral of 10-year-old Matilda. She was also at the funeral of Rabbi Eli Schlanger on Wednesday.
Also in attendance is the state’s premier, Chris Minns, wearing a kippah, and NSW local government minister and leader of the house, Labor’s Ron Hoenig.
Sloane tells Guardian Australia she was invited to Weitzen’s funeral by his widow, who one of her staff members knows personally:
It’s a really difficult procession of grief in our community right now, this was a beautiful family … We just want to be here for this family, for every family that’s been touched.
The mood is sombre outside. Loved ones hug, some through tears, sunglasses hiding their grief.
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Migration to Australia continues to fall post-Covid
Before we return to our coverage of the Bondi beach terror attack: new figures show net overseas migration (or Nom) continues to fall from its post-Covid lockdown highs, with data showing 50,120 more arrivals than departures in the three months to June.
Nom collapsed below zero during the Covid lockdowns, before rebounding to super-high levels as borders reopened, and the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics suggests that migration is beginning to return to normality.
The annual pace of Nom remains elevated, however, at 305,569 people in the year to June, compared to about 250,000 annually in the latter half of the 2010s.
The annual pace of net migration peaked at nearly 556,000 in late 2023 as it played catch-up from the pandemic, although the population is only now back to where it would have been were it not for the health crisis.
This week’s mid-year budget update estimated net migration to drop to 255,000 in this financial year.
Optus releases independent report into triple zero outage
Just to break away from the Bondi beach terror attack coverage for a moment, the Kerry Schott independent review into Optus’s triple zero outage in September, has identified key failings in the company’s processes in the lead up to the event that saw multiple people die while the service was unavailable.
The report goes through the cause of the outage, which largely came to light through the parliamentary inquiry into the outage, but identifies key mistakes from the network engineers, to call centres, to the management of the company that led to or compounded the issue that caused the outage.
Schott made 21 recommendations, including that processes and procedures when making network changes are followed closely, and staff encouraged to escalate issues if they have doubts.
Optus has been recommended to move its entire operations centre onshore as much as possible, and to faster track caller details in the event of an outage for calls. Improvements for making it easier for call centre staff to raise issues was also recommended.
The government should also investigate whether contacting triple-zero can be done over the data network rather than relying solely on voice calls, Schott recommends.
Customers should also be encouraged to test their devices can call triple zero. Schott noted there was a difference between Samsung and Apple devices in particular on how calls can connect in the event that it doesn’t initially go through.
Optus should also review its contract management process, and reduce the siloed nature of the different divisions in Optus to ensure better company-wide communications, Schott said.
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Mourners arrive to pay tribute to Bondi terror attack victim Tibor Weitzen
An hour before the funeral of Tibor Weitzen, a victim of Sunday’s Bondi terror attack, is to take place, the street of the Chabad has been shut off to traffic and around a dozen police cars, including the public order and riot squad, are stationed nearby.
There is a strong police presence outside the event as mourners begin to arrive. Some of them have stickers on their front commemorating Matilda, whose funeral was held just an hour ago. A poster near the sign to the Chabad, signed by the local council, reads:
Warning. Area Under Surveillance.
There is also a sign with a link to support the family of another victim, Rabbi Eli Schlanger.
Updated
Thanks so much Adeshola Ore for your work this morning. I’m Stephanie Convery and I’ll be taking you through the news this afternoon.
Albanese ‘has to face the victims’, says Arsen Ostrovsky
Arsen Ostrovsky, a human rights lawyer who was injured in the attack and released from hospital yesterday, spoke outside Bondi Pavillion this afternoon.
Ostrovsky, the incoming head of the Australia and Israel Jewish Affairs Council, said it was imperative Australia’s leaders listen to the Jewish community and enact “transformational” change to counter antisemitism.
He said:
For the last two years, how many warnings have we given, how many times have we had to say, ‘This is dangerous, left unchecked this will explode?’
An attack on Jews is an attack on Australia, on our society, on our way of life as a whole. If our leaders do not show real tangible leadership then hatred will fester and catastrophes like this will continue.
Ostrovsky said Anthony Albanese needed to come to Bondi and speak with the victims of the attack, saying as the country’s leader, “the buck stops with him”:
He has to face the victims, her has to face the Jewish community and he has to take ownership for what happened.
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Fifty-year-old Bondi local identified as fourteenth victim of terror attack
Adam Smyth, 50, has been named as the 14th victim of the Bondi Beach terror attack, lawyers acting for his family have confirmed.
A statement issued on behalf of his family said the Bondi resident was killed while out walking with his wife on Sunday evening:
Adam’s passing was immediate. The family has asked for privacy.
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Support helpline, community hub and funding for community organisations announced
The NSW government will open a community hub from tomorrow at North Bondi RSL, which will include NSW Reconstruction Authority, Services NSW, health officials, legal aid, chaplaincy services, and Lifeline.
The government will provide $2m to the Jewish community to support victims’ families, including $1m to Jewish House to establish a victim support fund, and $1m to Legal Aid to provide legal services to the community.
A further $1m will be provided to local Jewish community organisations to provide mental health triage and a further $1.5m is being made available for additional security at Jewish locations.
Businesses impacted by the tragedy will be able to claim up to $25,000 with $5,000 available immediately.
The NSW government is starting immediate mental health services at Bondi Beach and at Coogee to help the community recover from the trauma.
Mental health clinicians will be at Bondi Beach wearing vests, from 8am to 8pm. The service is free and no appointment is necessary.
Services to the Jewish community will be provided through community organisations.
“We will be with the community for the long term,” NSW mental health minister Rose Jackson said. “Grief manifests in many different ways and at many times.”
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The youngest victim of the Bondi beach tragedy, 10-year-old Matilda, is on her way to her resting place at Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park. A chartered shuttle is taking many of the mourners to the cemetery.
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NSW announces support packages for Bondi attack survivors and families of victims
The NSW treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, has announced a support package for the survivors and families of the Bondi attack victims.
Speaking to reporters, Mookhey says the government will provide up to $75,000 to the victims and family members of those killed in the attack, under a joint NSW and federal government package.
Funeral, burial and repatriation costs will also be covered by the government.
Funding will also be provided to cover the travel costs of family members coming from overseas and interstate to attend funerals.
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An update on the hospitalised Bondi shooting victims
NSW Health has provided an update on patient numbers from the Bondi attack.
As of 12pm today, 17 people injured in the attack are receiving care in hospitals across Sydney.
While the total number of patients has remained the same since last night, one patient’s condition has deteriorated to critical since 8am. They are being treated at St Vincent’s hospital.
At the same hospital, two patients remain in a critical but stable condition while one person is in a stable condition.
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Mourners spill out of funeral house
The Jewish funeral house is not big enough to hold all the mourners at Matilda’s funeral.
People are spilling out on to the small park at the entrance. Matilda’s small white coffin has been lifted into the hearse.
Her family clutch each other and cry as the door is closed.
The hearse cannot move off. There are too many people crowded around it.
A barrier of police stands between the crowd spilling outside and Oxford Street, closing two of the four lanes.
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Archer Park reopens to public
Archer Park and the bridge where the shooting took place in Bondi has reopened to the public this morning. The area is still surrounded by black fencing.
People are walking through the area solemnly, and a police officer is pointing out a tree that one of his colleagues shielded behind during the attack. He pointed to divots in the bark where bullets ricocheted.
“Very lucky,” the officer said.
People are standing with hands folded, surveying the scene. An unlit menorah stands in the distance by the playground where a Hanukah celebration was under way.
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Property collection centre opened after Bondi shooting
NSW Police has opened a property collection centre at Waverley for members of the community to retrieve items left behind in the wake of the terror attack at Bondi Beach on Sunday evening.
The collection centre has been established at Waverley College Gate 10, Henrietta Street, Waverley.
NSW Police said it would be open from 8am until 6pm from Today until Christmas Eve next week.
Members of the public will not be required to register at the centre, however will need to bring identification documents and any other additional information to assist with identifying individual items.
Members of the public who attend the collection point are asked to remain patient and respectful during the process.
Support services will be at the centre to assist attendees.
Crime scene lifted at Bondi as police operation concludes
The crime scene at Bondi Beach has been lifted following the conclusion of the police operation.
In a statement NSW Police said at about 11.15 am today police released the crime scene.
Police established a crime scene at Archer Park, Bondi Beach, and the surrounding areas, following the public place shooting on Sunday 14 December 2025.
The statement says:
Police have conducted an extensive examination and analysis of the site, which has now reopened to the public.
Members of the public are advised they can access the site to remove their vehicles from the location, however the Queen Elizabeth Drive carpark will remain closed to the public.
Southbound lanes of Campbell Parade remain closed until further notice, NSW police said.
Police will remain in the Bondi area to support the community.
‘Heartbreaking beyond words’: rabbi speaks before entering funeral of youngest shooting victim Matilda
Rabbi Dr Dovid Slavin spoke to our reporter before entering the funeral house for Matilda’s funeral.
Jewish funerals are very uniform. There is always just a simple wooden coffin, a white linen shroud. We come into this world with our hands clenched, we take nothing with us.
However, today is very, very different on so many levels – a child who passes away young, even due to illness, is a huge tragedy because they never got the opportunity to live out their lives and to be what they were, what they could have been.
And the hurt is obviously on those who left behind, but when it’s associated with violence, targeted violence … Matilda’s only crime was trying to come to one of the most iconic places in this country and perhaps around the world, for an event that wasn’t an extreme sport of some sort, but this is a family get-together in the most pristine, beautiful, loving, inclusive way, and for to finish this way – heartbreaking, the family, beyond words.
Slavin said every adult in the country has stopped since the Bondi attack to ask “Is this the Australia I want to live in?”
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Albanese: ‘My job is to continue to reach for light’
Asked about the difficulty of uniting Australia amid the anger expressed by the Jewish community, Albanese says he understands that people are grieving:
“I respect that … I’ve had some difficult conversations.” He also said:
My job isn’t difficult here. The difficulty is with the families who are grieving these victims. That it is who my sympathy is for. My job is to continue to reach for light. That is what I will continue to do.
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PM admits ‘regret’ as he outlines crackdown on antisemitism
Returning to the prime minister’s press conference earlier, Anthony Albanese has expressed regret and says he accepts responsibility over what more could have been done:
I, of course, acknowledge that more could have been done, and I accept my responsibility for the part in that as prime minister of Australia.
But what I also do is accept my responsibility to lead the nation and unite the nation. Because what people are looking for at this time isn’t more division. They are looking to come together.
Albanese later said:
Anyone in this position would regret not doing more, and any inadequacies which are there. But what we need to do is to move forward. We are taking action.
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Mourners gather for funeral for 10-year-old Bondi beach terror attack victim
Federal opposition leader Sussan Ley, NSW opposition leader Kellie Sloane and federal Coalition frontbencher Julain Leeser have arrived at the funeral for Matilda, the 10-year-old victim of the Bondi beach terror attack.
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, the social service minister, Tanya Plibersek, and the Israeli ambassador, Amir Maimon, have also arrived at the funeral, which is being held at a funeral house in Sydney’s Woollahra.
The family are already inside with Matilda’s coffin. People are still queueing to enter the funeral house and being issued with stickers bearing the name Matilda – the stickers are in her favourite colour purple and feature a picture of a cartoon bee.
When Matilda’s father spoke at the Bondi vigil on Tuesday night, he said Bee was Matilda’s middle name and he asked people to use the symbol to remember her.
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Federal parliament may be recalled to pass new legislation, PM says
Albanese has not ruled out recalling federal parliament over the summer break to pass legislation to crackdown on antisemitism announced today.
He says the reform is “quite complex”:
We are open to that, but we want to make sure that we get it right. We want to also consult to make sure that there is broad support across the parliament for this.
Parliament is scheduled to return on 3 February.
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PM confirms new laws targeting hate speech and hate preachers
Pressed on accusations that Labor has delayed acting on antisemitism, Albanese has defended his government’s crackdown on hate speech.
We are the first government to legislate on hate speech. We did that. We’ve outlawed Nazi symbols. What we know is that there’s more that we can do.
So, for example, the discussion, which we’re announcing today, develop a regime for listing organisations whose leaders engage in hate speech promoting violence or racial hatred.
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Finally, the education minister, Jason Clare, addresses the media.
He says there is “work we can do” on Australia’s curriculum to improve understanding of antisemitism.
The curriculum already has in it Holocaust education, but there is more we can do here to make sure we embed in it an understanding of the evils of antisemitism, of the horrors of the Holocaust, and the importance of Australian values. In addition to that, there’s more work we can do in universities as well. The fact is, Jewish students have been made to feel unwelcome on campus.
Clare says “children aren’t born antisemitic” or with “hate in their hearts”.
This is something that’s taught … education is an important part of that - in preventing it, in tackling it, in responding to it. That includes work that we do from right across the system, from early education right through our schools to universities.
He says the antisemitism education taskforce will include states and territories as well as key regulators across education.
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Home affairs minister says ‘no time for organisations’ who hate Australia
Tony Burke says today’s announcements take Australia into “new legal territory, creating new offences that have never before existed in Australia”.
He says “for too long … people have gone right to the limits of the law but have managed to stay on the legal side of it”.
There have been organisations which any Australian would look at and say their behaviour, their philosophy, and what they are trying to do is about division, and has no place in Australia. And yet, for a generation, no government has been able to successfully take action against them because they have fallen just below the legal threshold.
Today, we’re announcing that we’re shifting the threshold. We have no time for organisations where their mission is to hate Australia and to hate fellow Australians. Secondly, there have been individuals who have managed to exploit a nation that had different principles of freedom of speech and have gone right to the limits of language that is clearly dehumanising, unacceptable, having no place in Australia, but have not quite crossed the threshold to violence … we’re announcing that we’re working on the legislation now to lower those thresholds.
He concludes by saying Australia is a “good country” where people have a right to “be safe and to feel safe”.
Those who hate Australia will have no legal consequences that will change the sense of what it is to be safe in this country.
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NSW joint counter-terrorism team will execute further search warrents, says AFP commissioner
The AFP commissioner, Krissy Barrett, confirms the surviving alleged shooter has been charged with 59 offences after allegedly committing the terrorist attack.
She says in the coming days, the New South Wales joint counter-terrorism team will execute further search warrants to support the investigation.
There is a lot of material to be examined, and the AFP continues to work with both domestic and international partners to build a more complete picture of the movements and who the alleged offenders had contact with, both in Australia and offshore.
I can also reveal the AFP has ongoing investigations into people who have been described as hate preachers. These individuals who spew hatred and cause fear are on my radar, and I have had the counter-terrorism and special investigations Command reviewing information and other material in relation to these individuals since I became the commissioner.
She says the “weight of grief” hangs heavy in Sydney, paying particular tribute to 10-year-old Matilda.
She was so young. She was so innocent. My heart is so heavy for her family. I offer my sincere and heartfelt condolences to the families who are mourning and who continue to bury loved ones … I say to Jewish Australians, you do not share this grief alone. I will share the weight of this unfortunate grief with you – not just as a police officer who is dedicated to protecting and serving our country, but also as a wife, as a mother, a sister, and a daughter.
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Australia’s antisemitism envoy ‘overwhelmed by support’
Jillian Segal is up next, and acknowledges the group gathered to consider her report on antisemitism and its recommendation, which was yet to be responded to in full.
She says she has been “overwhelmed by support” from the community, both in Australia and overseas, and from envoys globally.
We stand, I think, at a very important moment – not only for our community, but for fighting antisemitism around the world. This more formal response has been a long time coming but, of course, it does build on a range of activities and work that started as soon as the report was delivered.
It is an important next step … I’m encouraged by some of the medium-term actions that will take place over this next year relating to education … and there will be ongoing work across all the sectors in the report longer-term … For example, the work that will take place in relation to online hate. That is an issue all over the world, and we will need to consult more broadly. We have done a lot of work already in that space, but there is a lot to do to bring it to some conclusion.
But I’m looking forward and I expect the full cooperation of the government, as the prime minister has announced, with its ongoing implementation … I’m very grateful for the support that we will have ongoing to implement it.
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Albanese: every Jewish Australian to “be proud of who they are and what they believe”.
Every Jewish Australian has the right to feel safe, valued and respected for the contribution that they make to our great nation.
The terrorists, inspired by Islamic State at Bondi beach, sought to turn Australians against each other. Australians have responded to that act of hatred with love and sympathy for those in mourning. Australians responded to that act of cowardice and violence with bravery and with kindness.
And we saw a coming together last night at St Marys Cathedral of interfaith communities that was really uplifting. It is now up to all of us to honour the courage of those Australians, the heroes of Bondi, in the most meaningful way possible – by eliminating the evil of antisemitism from our society.
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Albanese continues to outline the measures.
He says David Gonski will lead the 12-month taskforce, which will include the special envoy for antisemitism, to ensure the Australian education system “prevents, tackles and properly responds to antisemitism”.
The eSafety Commissioner, the special envoy, and the Department of Communications will work together to provide online safety advice to address antisemitism
I can also announce today the disaster recovery funding arrangements will be triggered in response to the attack. So the Commonwealth and New South Wales will share the financial burden of the recovery. This is the first time that the DRFA has been used for a terrorist attack.
This will provide support to victims, their families and small business impacted in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack.
Over the coming days, I’ll have more to say about the government’s response to Sunday’s atrocity, including on gun control. And I note that New South Wales is moving on that next week.
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PM outlines new laws to crack down on hate speech and preachers of hate
The prime minister has outlineed the additional measures that will be taken, including new powers to reject visas for the minister for home affairs and a special 12-month taskforce.
Firstly, the attorney-general and minister for home affairs will develop legislative reforms to crack down on those who spread hate, division and radicalisation.
The national security committee has agreed the changes will include five points: aggravated hate speech offence for preachers and leaders who promote violence, increased penalties for hate speech promoting violence, making hate an aggravating factor in sentencing crimes for online threats and harassment, developing a regime for listing organisations whose leaders engage in hate speech promoting violence or racial hatred and developing a narrow federal offence for serious vilification based on race and/or advocating racial supremacy.
Albanese says the minister for home affairs will also have new powers to cancel or reject visas “for those who spread hate and division in this country, or would do so if they were allowed to come here”.
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PM announces ‘a significant number’ of additional actions for plan to combat antisemitism
Albanese says he is “angry” after Sunday’s events, describing it as an attack on the Jewish community and Australian way of life.
He says Australia will take a “significant number” of additional actions to directly address antisemitism.
It is clear we need to do more to combat this evil scourge, much more. As special envoy to combat antisemitism, Jillian Segal, has delivered a report that sets out further steps we can take. The Australian government adopts and fully supports the plan to combat antisemitism. We have already legislated for hate speech, hate crimes, hate symbols, outlawing doxing. We’ve already undertaken education action, including appointing the first-ever Student Ombudsman and the development of the envoy’s report card on universities.
We’ll continue to work through the implementation of the 13 recommendations in consultation with the Jewish community and the envoy. Of course, the first recommendation was the adoption of the definition of “antisemitism” that the government adopted. Today, I’m announcing a significant number of additional actions for the plan.
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PM speaks after meeting with national security committee meeting
The prime minister is addressing the media in Canberra after meeting with the national security committee, alongside ministers and Jillian Segal, the antisemitism envoy.
Anthony Albanese says there is “no place in Australia for antisemitism”.
It is an evil that tears at the fabric of our country. It puts the peaceful, free and equal society that we cherish at risk. Sadly, since the terrible events of October 2023, we have witnessed an increase in antisemitism, which is of course an ancient hatred.
We have seen a series of appalling attacks targeting Australia’s Jewish community. That culminated, on Sunday, in one of the worst acts of mass murder that this country has ever seen.
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The flags are back up at Bondi beach for the first time since Sunday
Lifeguards put up a pair of red and yellow flags just in front of the Bondi lifeguard station, and a small group of people have taken to the sand and the waves today.
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UK and Australia to work ‘more closely’ together to combat antisemitism, Penny Wong says
The foreign minister, Penny Wong, has spoken with the UK foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, overnight. Wong has been holding calls with counterparts around the world in the wake of Sunday’s Bondi beach shootings.
Cooper expressed deep sympathy to the Jewish community and all Australians, offering the unwavering support of the UK government.
The pair spoke of the global rise in antisemitism and discussed ways to fight ideologically motivated hatred and violence, including online radicalisation.
Wong:
I thanked UK foreign secretary Cooper for her expressions of sympathy and solidarity with Jewish Australians and with all Australians.
We agreed to work more closely together to confront antisemitism, terror and hatred and ensure our communities are protected.
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Holocaust survivor and Bondi victim Alex Kleytman remembered at Sydney funeral
Mourners have gathered for the funeral for holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman, who was killed in Sunday’s attack.
Speaking to reporters after the terror attack on Sunday, his wife, Larisa Kleytman, said Hanukah had always been a “very, very good celebration” for the couple, having celebrated the tradition every year since immigrating to Australia.
You can read more about Kleytman here:
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Daughter of Holocaust survivor and Bondi attack victim Alex Kleytman established fundraiser for his widow
The daughter of a Holocaust survivor who was killed in Sunday’s terror attack at Bondi beach has established a fundraiser to rebuild the life of her mother.
Sabina Kleitman wrote on GoFundMe that her father, 87-year-old Alex Kleytman, was a “fascinating, cheerful and kind person of many talents with an unwavering spirit”.
He died shielding my mum, Larisa. My Dad was killed simply for being Jewish at the Hanukkah family event. My Mum, Larisa Kleitman, is left without the love of her life, her hero, her protector, and on a single small pension.
My Mum will deal with the trauma and the loss of her husband for a very long time, and while she is healing, one thing she does not need to worry about is paying bills. She needs to spend time with her grandchildren in Israel, but this is currently unaffordable.
She needs to grieve, not worry about how she will manage financially. Some of the money will also support the publication of Alex’s books, a dream she shared with Alex.
The fundraiser has raised $11,300 in less than 24 hours.
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Morrison: Islamic communities in Australia are ‘vulnerable’ to radicalisation
Morrison continues to say there needs to be a focus on radicalisation of Islamic communities in Australia after the Bondi attack.
He said Islamic communities were “vulnerable” to radicalisation:
[The] overwhelming majority are great Australians, but their community is vulnerable. The evidence of that is all to obvious. They need to confront those issues, and it won’t be liked, it won’t be supported.
But that’s the strength and courage that is needed.
Morrison went on to say it was vital that communities had tools and support to tackle radicalisation.
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Changes to immigration process ‘necessary for our national security’, says Scott Morrison
Scott Morrison says Australia’s immigration process should be tightened up.
He pointed to the Trump administration’s proposal announced last week where tourists to the United States would have to reveal their social media activity from the last five years.
Morrison pointed to the plan by Australia’s antisemitism envoy, Jillian Segal’s, report which called for screening of visa applicants for any antisemitic views or affiliations.
I think the equivalent of what John Howard did on gun control, standing before farmers and saying, ‘we need to change these laws and I don’t think you’re going to like it’, but it’s necessary for our national security, making these changes around immigration.
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Scott Morrison says antisemitism has been allowed to ‘sink its deep hooks into our society’
Former Liberal prime minister Scott Morrison says the Australian public has not been conscious of antisemitism creeping into society over the past few years.
Speaking to 2GB radio about the Bondi attack, Morrison says a “great failing” has occurred in the past few years, with antisemitism allowed to “sink its deep hooks into our society”:
In many times, I don’t think the public have been very conscious of it.
Morrison described Sunday’s terrorist attack as a “desecration of our country”:
It is going to change us and mark us, and in many ways, I hope it’s going to wake us up to the evil that’s been lurking and growing in our midst.
And that’s a key point in our midst, and that’s what ultimately needs to be encountered.
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Peak Muslim body urges imams to use Friday sermons to speak about unity and harmony
The Australian National Imams Council has urged all imams, speakers and community leaders to dedicated their Friday sermons this week to address “unity, harmony and standing together as one nation”.
In a statement, the council said the grief, distress and deep sense of insecurity felt by the Jewish community are “fully acknowledged”:
Our solidarity and compassion are unequivocally affirmed.
We empathise deeply, as Muslims understand the trauma of having a sacred space and time violated, as tragically experienced during the Christchurch massacre.
The council said Islam is a religion founded on mercy, justice, peace and responsibility toward all people and humanity:
The recent acts of terror and violence in Bondi are unequivocally condemned. These criminal and evil acts have no place in our society and world, and we must stand united in rejecting and condemning them and supporting all the victims and those affected.
The pain, fear, and shock felt across Australian society and the world highlight how moments of crisis test character, faith, and moral responsibility.
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NSW paramedics pay tribute to Bondi attack victims
A large group of paramedics with NSW Ambulance have arrived to pay tribute to the victims, carrying flowers and stuffed animals. Dozens of paramedics in their uniform, many hugging each other, are here.
It’s an emotional scene, with many wiping away tears.
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The floral memorial grows at Bondi beach
There is a steady stream of people stopping by to reflect, hug and mourn today at Bondi Pavilion.
The beach is muted on a sunny Thursday, with another floral memorial growing just above the promenade, with the waves in the distance. The scent of the blooms carries over the air as a surfer sits in his wetsuit looking at the tributes.
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Frydenberg denies his criticism of the PM is politically motivated
Former Liberal treasurer Josh Frydenberg has denied his fierce criticism of Anthony Albanese over the Bondi attack is politically motivated.
Speaking to Channel Nine’s Today show, he was asked about a clash with the ABC’s 7.30 host Sarah Ferguson last night. In the interview, Ferguson asked Frydenberg if there were political motivations behind his rebuke of Albanese over the Bondi attack, ahead of his “inevitable” return to politics.
He said he was “deeply offended” by the question.
Speaking to the Today show, Frydenberg, who is Jewish, said his criticism of Albanese was “not about politics”:
This is about leadership or the lack leadership that we have seen in Australia. The Jewish community has always enjoyed support from Bob Hawke … to Julia Gillard to Bill Shorten and many, many others. But that bipartisanship has been broken.
Now, when I take my kids to school, there are armed [guards] because it’s a Jewish school. If you take them to Jewish sport, there are armed guards outside the sporting field. Why should we live like this?
Asked about a return to politics, Frydenberg said he “hasn’t made any decisions” about his future but said Australia needed people “who are going to have the courage of their convictions”.
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NSW man charged after allegedly making antisemitic threats towards Jewish person on Bali to Sydney flight
The AFP has charged a NSW man with allegedly threatening violence towards a member of the Jewish community on a flight from Bali to Sydney.
Police allege the man made antisemitic threats and hand gestures, indicating violence towards the alleged victim, who the man knew to be part of the Jewish community.
The 19-year-old Condell Park man is scheduled to appear before a NSW court today.
He faces one count of threatening force or violence against members of groups or close associates. The offence carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.
The federal police received a request for assistance from an airline on the flight from Bali to Sydney on Wednesday, the AFP said in a statement.
Police charged the man on his arrival in Sydney.
Relative of Alex Kleytman says Bondi attack shows why it’s necessary to speak out about the Holocaust and antisemitism
Following on from the previous post, Abendlich had prepared a video interview with Kleytman to record his own Holocaust story, which will now never be conducted, “not because time ran out, but because history has repeated itself”.
The German resident said Kleytman wrote to him that he wanted to “pass the baton to the next generation”.
He encouraged me to preserve family history, to collect stories and memories, and to make sure people know. He did not want his work, or the lives behind it, locked away. He wanted them carried forward ... He understood something many people only learn too late: if you do not record testimony and memory, time will take it from you. People will not remember, and people will start to forget.
This attack shows once again why it is necessary to speak about the Shoah and to speak clearly about what antisemitism is. It is not only about remembering what happened once. It is about ensuring these stories are not forgotten, and about refusing to let hatred be normalised or repeated.”
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Holocaust survivor and Bondi attack victim Alex Kleytman described himself as a ‘humble Jewish man’, relative says
Tributes are continuing to flow for Alex Kleytman, an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor who was killed in the Bondi terror attack while protecting his wife, Larisa.
Georg Abendlich, who lives in Osnabrück, Germany, got to know Kleytman through his wife, who is Abendlich’s cousin. He said through their conversations, “he became much more than a family connection”:
He was someone who cared deeply about Jewish memory and about telling the truth of Jewish lives, especially where history has tried to reduce Jews to silence or to numbers. He described himself as a humble Jewish man, and that description felt accurate. He had a quiet strength and a sincerity that came through even in simple exchanges.
Abendlich said Kleytman didn’t like to call himself old, but was “very aware that time passes”:
He saw enormous value in preserving history and in learning from the past. He told me that he had not asked his parents enough about the important details of their lives, and that he regretted how much had gone unspoken. That reflection was not just personal. It was a warning about how easily stories disappear if we do not take responsibility for them.
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Chief of NSW Jewish Board of Deputies calls for ‘action’ after ‘unacceptable’ terrorist attack
Michele Goldman, the chief executive of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, spoke to the ABC a short time ago.
Goldman says the Jewish community’s souls are “crushed” after funerals began for the attack’s 15 victims yesterday.
A funeral for the attack’s youngest victim, 10-year-old Matilda, will be held today.
Goldman said:
Today to bury Matilda, a 10-year-old whose life was taken away too soon, and in the most evil of circumstances, we’re crushed.
We greatly appreciate the overwhelming support of all Australians, but … kind words are not going to change things, and we need to see some action … this is just unacceptable.
Goldman said the Jewish community had seen the warning signs for over two years and had called out antisemitic hate “playing out in all parts of our society”.
She called for the recommendations in the wide-ranging plan by Australia’s antisemitism envoy to be endorsed and enacted as soon as possible.
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Injured NSW police officers remain in ‘serious”’ conditions, health minister says
NSW health minister, Ryan Park, says two police injured in the Bondi attack remain in “serious” conditions.
Const Jack Hibbert, a a probationary constable who was shot in Sunday’s attack, has lost the sight of an eye. Const Scott Dyson, another officer injured in the attack, had been attached to the eastern suburbs police area command for 18 months.
Speaking to 2GB radio, Park said:
They’ve had very extensive injuries and having an opportunity to speak to their family members of Const Dyson the other day at St Vincent’s just hit home just how dangerous policing is and how dedicated that individual was.
We’re hoping they make a full recovery. It will be a long and difficult road ahead.
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Assistant minister flags review of migration settings after Bondi attack
Assistant minister for immigration, Matt Thistlethwaite, says the federal government’s response to the Bondi attack will include a review of the country’s migration laws to ensure those with antisemitic views cannot move to Australia.
Speaking to the ABC a short time ago, Thistlethwaite said the government’s package will be released “over the coming days and weeks”:
We’ll have a look at our migration settings to make sure that they’re appropriate and that they can weed out and stop people who have antisemitic or racist views, that may incite violence into Australia, and ensure that people like that can’t migrate to our country.
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Seventeen patients injured in Bondi attack remain in Sydney hospitals
NSW Health has released the latest patient numbers from the Bondi terror attack.
There’s been no change from the patient figures released last night.
As of 8am, 17 patients injured in the attack remain in hospitals across Sydney.
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Pakistan’s information minister calls for apologies from media outlets over claims one of the Bondi attackers was linked to Pakistan
Following on from the previous post, the minister said the misinformation appeared to stem from a case of mistaken identity, as a Pakistani man living in Sydney shared the same name as one of the two suspects.
“How do we restore the situation to where it was before the Bondi Beach attack?” Tarar asked, adding that the Pakistani man – also named Naveed Akram – had released a video denying any involvement and urging the public not to associate him with the attack.
Tarar said the Pakistani man was “a victim of a malicious and organized campaign” and that the disinformation effort originated in India.
“As Pakistan has suffered from terrorism for a long time, we fully understand the grief of the Australian people and express complete solidarity with them,” Tarar wrote on X Wednesday evening.
He said some media outlets hastily claimed that one of the attackers was linked to Pakistan, even though there was neither evidence nor verification to support this claim. “This assertion was later proven to be completely false,” Tarar said.
Tarar called on media outlets that published the false reports to issue apologies and said Pakistan had not yet decided whether to pursue legal action.
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Pakistan has been the target of online disinformation campaign over Bondi attack, government minister says
Pakistan’s information minister says his country has been the victim of a coordinated online disinformation campaign after the mass shooting at Bondi beach, Associated Press reports.
Attaullah Tarar accused “hostile countries”, including India, of spreading false claims that one of the two attackers was a Pakistani national.
Speaking at a news conference in Islamabad, Tarar said Pakistan’s leadership strongly condemned Sunday’s attack.
The minister said misleading information began circulating almost immediately after the attack, with social media posts falsely identifying one of the suspects as a Pakistani national. He said the claims spread rapidly across digital platforms and were repeated by some media outlets without verification.
Tarar said subsequent findings, including confirmation by Indian police, established that one of the alleged attackers, Sajid Akram, was from India, while his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram was born in Australia.
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Jim Chalmers says he doesn’t want agencies investigating Bondi attack ‘deterred’ by antisemitism royal commission
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, says he doesn’t federal agencies investigating the Bondi attack “delayed or deterred” by a royal commission into antisemitism.
The former Liberal treasurer Josh Frydenberg on Wednesday called for a royal commission during an emotional speech at the site of the Bondi terror attack
Chalmers says he backs his colleague Tony Burke’s sentiment on ABC’s 7.30 on Wednesday who rejected calls for a royal commission. He says “we want our agencies 100% focused on the investigations”:
We don’t want them delayed or deterred by a royal commission.
Everyone’s focus, including the agencies involved here, needs to be on the investigation, needs to be on getting to the bottom of what happened here … primarily because that will help us, help inform us, as we take additional necessary steps
Pressed on if a royal commission would delay or deter action, Chalmers says:
The point I’m trying to convey to your listeners, and I think the point that Tony [Burke] was making last night, is we want our agencies 100% focused on the investigation.
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Record number of NSW students to receive HSC exam results
Just to break away from our Bondi attack aftermath coverage for a minute– it’s worth reporting that it’s a big day for high school graduates in New South Wales.
A record number of students in NSW are waking to receive their exam results this morning, and for 53, they’ll be finding out they’ve received the top possible Atar of 99.95. Of the top scorers, 19 students are female and 34 students are male.
Results go live on the Universities Admission Centre (UAC) website at 9am, after which time students will have until midnight to change any course preferences for future studies.
Overall, 60,432 students were eligible for an Atar, the highest number ever and 3,238 more than in 2024. Some 17.3% of students received an Atar of 90 or above, and 51.3% received an Atar of at least 70.00.
The median Atar was higher for females than it was for males (71.60 compared with 69.80).
Chief strategy and engagement officer of the UAC, Kim Paino, congratulated all students on the important milestone of achieving their Atars and completing high school.
As you think about what comes next, remember there are many different pathways to university, and your Atar is just one part of the story. Whatever your goals, you don’t have to navigate them alone.
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Royal commission into antisemitism ‘not what’s needed right now’, Dreyfus says
Asked about Frydenberg’s call for a royal commission into antisemitism, Dreyfus says such inquiries are “often very slow”:
That’s not what’s needed right now. What’s needed right now is more action.
The prime minister and the foreign minister and our home affairs minister have all said, we’re going to do more in this area. We’re going to make sure that whatever resources are needed are now put into making sure that Australia is again a place where Jews can feel safe, because it isn’t now.
He says additional funding for security at Jewish schools and synagogues also needed to be looked at.
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Mark Dreyfus says implementation of antisemitism envoy’s report needs to be accelerated
Jewish Labor MP Mark Dreyfus is speaking to the ABC.
He is asked about former Liberal treasurer Josh Frydenberg claiming Anthony Albanese is personally responsible for the 15 deaths in the Bondi terror attack. Dreyfus says:
I’d echo Jillian Segal words … as she said right away on Monday, blame’s not a very useful sentiment. What we need to do now is work together.
We can and should do more. We’ve got to do everything that we can.
Dreyfus says implementing the report by Segal, Australia’s antisemitism envoy, needs to be “accelerated”.
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Anthony Albanese says courage and decency of Australians can overcome 'pure evil'
Anthony Albanese is yet to respond directly to Benjamin Netanyahu’s latest criticism of his handling of the Bondi terror attacks but he called for for unity when he addressed a multifaith memorial service at St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney last night
In his speech he said everyone would join in grieving with those who lost loved ones in the attack which he again called an act of “pure evil” and praised the bystanders whose bravery in helping the victims for acts which showed the “best of Australia”.
Tonight, as we gather in one iconic Sydney location, we mourn the devastation inflicted at another. At this cathedral dedicated to our Catholic faith, we grieve for all those who were killed affirming their faith, Jewish Australians deliberately targeted on the first night of Hanukah, as they came together at that beautiful place to renew their hope, their resilience, their belief in the power of light, the darkness of terror and antisemitism was passed upon them.
Our prayers this evening are for the souls of the innocent people whose lives were so cruelly and violently stolen away at Bondi beach that Sunday evening. We pray with those who we knew and loved, including, I know, the family of Rabbi Eli who was farewelled today, everyone who has lost the centre of their universe, the love of their life, their pride and joy, we grieve for the light and laughter and strength and comfort that so many have lost. We grieve with everyone who would have shared in their happiness.
We pray that those being treated for their injuries recover, we reflect with gratitude on the bravery and skill of the police and first responders who saved lives, and we offer our thanks for the courage and selflessness of everyday Australians; people who, in a moment of deadly danger, did not hesitate to run to the aid of strangers, to shield, shelter or comfort people fleeing in fear.
Ordinary people demonstrating extraordinary courage, including the remarkable actions of Ahmed al-Ahmed, who put himself in the line of fire, wrestling a gun away from one of the shooters. People he has never met owe him their lives.
We pray for the souls of Boris and Sophia Burman and Reuven Morrison, murdered while bravely protecting others. Our nation owes them and all the heroes of Bondi a profound debt of gratitude, not just for their bravery, but also for their example, for reminding us that at the worst of times, we see the best of the Australian character.
Seventeen people injured in Bondi attack still in hospital
NSW Health says 17 patients injured in the Bondi attack remain in hospitals across Sydney.
We’re expecting updated numbers later today.
As of 7.30pm yesterday, the numbers were:
One patient was in a critical condition
Four patients were in critical but stable conditions
12 patients were in stable conditions
Updated
Morning, everyone. I’m Adeshola Ore and I will be bringing you live updates on the Bondi terror attack.
I’m chasing the latest patient numbers and we’re expecting the funeral for the attack’s youngest victim, 10-year-old Matilda, to be held today.
Updated
Netanyahu renews attack on Albanese government
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has renewed his attack on the Albanese government’s alleged failure to curb antisemitism in the lead-up to the Bondi terror attack.
In the immediate aftermath of Sunday’s massacre, Netanyahu said Anthony Albanese was to blame for the attack because his government’s decision to recognise the Palestinian state had encouraged Islamist extremism and attacks on Jewish targets in Australia.
Albanese rejected the accusations.
In a new post overnight, Netanyahu said he had spoken to Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, the father-in-law of Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was killed in the attack, and with Arsen Ostrovsky, head of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council Sydney office, who was wounded in the attack and has been discharged from hospital. He said he expressed his condolences and told them (in Hebrew, which X translated):
… that these heinous acts are a direct result of rampant antisemitism, which is fuelled by a flaccid policy of the authorities in the country and of the Australian government, which has a duty to act immediately and with all the tools at its disposal to eradicate terrorism and restore security to the Jewish communities.
I emphasised that the State of Israel stands alongside the Jewish community in Australia, and I strengthened the Chabad emissaries and all the Jews of Australia – those who stand firm, clinging to great faith and immense spirit in the face of those who seek our harm.
• This blog post was amended on 18 December 2025 to give the correct name and title for Arsen Ostrovsky
Updated
Tony Burke asked if moving Asio and AFP to attorney general’s department hampered intelligence
Burke was also asked whether the Albanese government’s decision in 2022 to move Asio and the Australian federal police from the home affairs department to the attorney general’s department – a decision reversed this year – had hampered intelligence.
The minister said it was his decision to return the agencies to home affairs to assist with “seamless” information-sharing.
Burke added they both had enough resources to monitor both politically motivated and religiously motivated extremism: “I’ve confirmed with the Australian federal police and with Asio again in the last 24 hours that they both have more resources than they have ever had, and believe they get a fair hearing whenever they put a resources case to government.”
Asio’s director general, Mike Burgess, drew comparisons between Islamist political group Hizb ut-Tahrir and the neo-Nazi group the National Socialist Network, warning their “anti-Israel rhetoric is fuelling and normalising wider antisemitic narratives”.
“The organisation’s condemnation of Israel and Jews attracts media attention and aids recruitment but it deliberately stops short of promoting onshore acts of politically motivated violence,” Burgess said.
The UK banned Hizb ut-Tahrir from recruiting or holding protests and meetings in 2024, joining countries such as Germany and Indonesia.
Burke said he would list the group once it met the threshold, which he said it had yet to.
“My view for a very long time has been, and as soon as I came into home affairs, I asked again. I’ve continued to ask, ‘do they meet the legal threshold?’ Because the moment they meet a legal threshold, I see them causing nothing but harm in the community,” he said.
Updated
Home affairs minister says he has ‘full confidence’ in Australia’s intelligence agency
Tony Burke maintains he has “full confidence” in Australia’s domestic intelligence agency as questions are raised about how the father and son duo allegedly behind the Bondi attack, and inspired by Islamic State, were able to travel to the Philippines last month without raising flags.
The home affairs minister said he had reviewed the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation’s (Asio) decisions and actions regarding 24-year-old Naveed Akram – who was charged with 59 offences including 15 counts of murder on Wednesday – since he first came to attention in October 2019 for alleged associations with individuals involved in a reported Islamic State cell.
“I’ve gone through the different decisions that have been taken in this respect, and I have confidence of the decisions that [were] made,” Burke told ABC’s 7.30 on Wednesday.
“Obviously, they are not all decisions that were made during the life of this particular government, but I’m not playing political games with any of this. And no matter who was in office at different times, I have confidence in the way decisions were taken.”
Authorities in the Philippines confirmed on Tuesday that Akram and his 50-year-old father, Sajid, who was shot dead by police on Sunday, travelled to the south-east Asian country between 1 November and 28 November. They listed Davao, in the country’s south, as their final destination in the Philippines.
Davao is the capital of the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. The island’s more remote regions, west of Davao, have been a centre of resistance for the country’s pro-Islamic State and Islamist militant groups.
Burke said he could not publicly reveal whether Asio continued to monitor Akram after the six-month examination six years ago, or whether the duo’s trip to the Philippines in November triggered a movement alert list.
“I can just answer it in the general, that is, the movement alert list is very vast, and when people come to our attention, they generally stay there for a very, very long time,” he said.
Updated
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories before our morning blogger takes the reins.
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, insists he has “full confidence” in Asio and its decisions despite the intelligence agency apparently missing the rising threat posed by the alleged Bondi gunmen. More on that soon.
Last night the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, called for unity at a multifaith event in Sydney, after a day in which he faced intense criticism over his response to antisemitism in Australia.
And Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has added fuel to that criticism with another attack on the Australian government overnight. We bring you more on this, too, in a few minutes.
