Minns Acknowledges Major Oversight Before Bondi Attack

Minns defended the work of the Joint Counter Terrorism Team, a mix of senior police and intelligence agencies, in thwarting “32 terrorism events” in the state since its formation, as their actions in the lead-up to the attack are analysed at a Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Cohesion.

In a startling revelation earlier today, The Daily Telegraph disclosed that two calls made to the National Security Hotline in 2007 and 2024 regarding Sajid Akram were not relayed to the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). This revelation has raised questions about the communication protocols within the agencies tasked with safeguarding national security.

Chris Minns conceded there had been failures to share crucial intelligence in the lead-up to the Bondi shooting. (Getty)

Akram, who was fatally shot by police, had been involved in a shooting incident. His alleged partner in crime and son, Naveed, is now facing legal proceedings. The case has cast a spotlight on the effectiveness of existing counter-terrorism measures.

Speaking with 2GB radio, Minns expressed his concern about the implications of these oversights. He emphasized the need to avoid sending a misleading message to the public about the efficacy of current anti-terrorism frameworks.

“It’s evident we experienced a significant lapse in law enforcement and intelligence in December of last year, one that necessitates immediate correction and improvement,” Minns stated. However, he was quick to reassure the public, adding, “I also don’t want people to think that there is no communication happening between agencies.”

He highlighted that these agencies operate with advanced technology and have a track record of past successes. Despite the current challenges, Minns conveyed confidence in the capabilities and collaborative nature of law enforcement bodies.

Minns said he hoped key learnings would come from the ongoing Royal Commission. (Getty)

“These are law enforcement agencies that work with sophisticated technology and have had success in the past.Â

“You often don’t read about it because they’ve acted before someone’s committed a horrible terrorism event.”

He said the failure to share the alleged pieces of intelligence with ASIO was more likely because it “slipped through the cracks” rather than a malicious effort to withhold key information.

Speaking to media this morning, he doubled down on his defence of the state’s counter-terrorism agencies, though acknowledged he looked forward to the findings of the ongoing Royal Commission to learn from the mistakes that led to the Bondi shooting.

Chris Minns speaks to media on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. — Minns insisted the current system was not “broken”. (Nine)

Yesterday, ASIO’s chief Mike Burgess revealed there had been warnings that Jewish holy events were targets for terrorism attacks months before the shooting, which occurred at a Chanukkah celebration.

“I think there’s parts of the intelligence and counter-terrorism architecture that need to be examined, and they need to be examined by the Royal Commission, and we need to make sure that we’re learning from the mistakes that have been made,” Minns said.

“But I’m not going to say it’s broken, I don’t want to send the message out today that if people have suspicions or concerns about something in their community, then they should contact authorities.

“I don’t want the good work of those senior police officers and hard-working intelligence agencies just washed away.”