Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing significant backlash for his recent call to Australians to engage in ‘acts of kindness’ in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack, while he continues to refuse calls for a federal investigation into the incident.
To date, Albanese has resisted mounting pressure to launch a national probe into the tragic events of December 14. On that day, brothers Sajid and Naveed Akram allegedly opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration, resulting in the deaths of 15 people and injuring many others.
In a message posted on social media platform X on Sunday, Albanese stated, “In response to the antisemitic terror attack at Bondi, our Jewish community has reacted with kindness and compassion.”
He encouraged participation in the “One Mitzvah for Bondi” campaign, urging every Australian to “bring light into the world through an act of kindness.”
“Whether it’s checking in on a neighbor or volunteering your time, every mitzvah contributes to bringing light into the world,” he continued.
Albanese concluded by asserting, “By standing together, Australians can demonstrate that hatred and violence will never define who we are as a nation.”
His message included a link to a NSW government site inviting people to describe a ‘good deed in honour of the Bondi victims.’
The reaction was immediate and scathing, with angry Australians flooding the post with criticism and accusing the Prime Minister of offering a hollow gesture.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanesehas drawn fierce criticism after urging Australians to perform ‘acts of kindness’ in response to the Bondi Beach terror attack, while continuing to reject demands for a federal inquiry
‘What a shame that you didn’t show the same kindness toward our Jewish community when they were pleading for your help, Prime Minister,’ one user wrote.
‘So your calling to ‘bring the light into the world’ now is extremely shallow because our Jewish community should never have been placed in the position of having their light dimmed on December 14 in the first place,’ another said.
‘No one cares about what you have to say unless it’s an announcement of a Royal Commission,’ a third added.
Meanwhile, grieving families who lost loved ones in the Bondi attack have sent an open letter to Albanese, demanding a royal commission.
‘You owe us answers. You owe us accountability. And you owe Australians the truth,’ the letter reads.
Relatives of 11 victims, including 10-year-old Matilda and 87-year-old Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman, signed the letter, along with family members of Sofia and Boris Gurman, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, Reuven Morrison, Edith Brutman, Tibor Weitzen, Yaakov Levitan, Tania Tretiak, and Boris Tetleroyd.
‘We demand answers and solutions. We need to know why clear warning signs were ignored, how anti-Semitic hatred and Islamic extremism were allowed to grow dangerously unchecked and what changes must be made to protect all Australians going forward,’ they wrote.
The families warned that Jewish Australians are now living in fear.
Albanese has, so far, resisted growing calls for a national investigation into the December 14 massacre (pictured, floral tributes left at Bondi Beach following the attack)
‘Our children feel unsafe at school and university. Our homes, workplaces, sporting fields, and public spaces no longer feel secure. It is an intolerable situation that no Australian should have to endure.’
They argued the rising threat of anti-Semitism is a national emergency that requires decisive leadership.
Reuven Morrison’s daughter Sheina Gutnick told Sunrise on Monday it was important for the families to band together and speak up.
‘My father was murdered, leaving behind his wife, daughter and grandchildren. Matilda was murdered. Eli Schlanger was murdered leaving behind five children, including a six-week-old baby,’ she said.
‘So many families ripped apart with grandparents, parents, children just taken from their families.
‘This is something that impacts all of us here in Australia.’
Despite mounting pressure from prominent figures—and members of his own party—Albanese has stood firm on his refusal to establish a royal commission.
‘I just note that there was no royal commission called by the Howard government after Port Arthur,’ Albanese told reporters last week.
Reuven Morrison’s daughter Sheina Gutnick said it was important for the victims’ families to band together and write to Albanese calling for a royal commission
‘There was no royal commission called by the Abbott government after the Lindt siege.
‘We provided, on both those occasions as the opposition … support for national unity at that time.’
NSW Premier Chris Minns has broken ranks, backing calls for a federal royal commission and pledging to launch a state-based inquiry.
Former Australian Federal Police Chief Mick Keelty has also joined those supporting an inquiry, warning that ‘anything less risks telling Australians that some truths are too difficult to face.’
‘Bondi will not simply raise questions of intelligence failures, administrative arrangements, or resources. Deeper questions must be asked, in public, of officials and their political masters,’ Keelty wrote in The Australian.
‘We need to know whether part of the problem is a failure of understanding or, worse, deliberate decisions to ignore uncomfortable truths.’
