In a significant development, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is reportedly reconsidering his stance against launching a royal commission into the alarming increase in antisemitism, which tragically peaked with the Bondi Beach massacre.
While Albanese has consistently emphasized that strengthening hate-speech legislation remains his administration’s priority in the wake of the Bondi incident, there are growing indications that political pressure might necessitate a change in approach.
Insiders within the government have disclosed that calls for a royal commission are gaining momentum, suggesting that Albanese’s current position may soon become untenable.
Sources with knowledge of the ongoing discussions informed news.com.au that the Prime Minister has privately conceded the possibility of changing his stance, though no definitive decision has been made yet.
“If you’d asked me two weeks ago, I would have said there was only a 5% chance of a royal commission. Now, I would estimate it at 90%,” a Labor insider revealed.
“The reality is that both the government and the party are evolving on this issue. It’s just a matter of time before this shift becomes official,” the source added.
‘Imagine if something else happens, and what are we then? We’re the guys that have said no to the Royal Commission. He understands that.
‘We can’t be on the other side of the victims. And he doesn’t want to be on the other side of the victims.’
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has privately signalled he is prepared to shift his opposition to a royal commission into antisemitism
Albanese was asked about the claims on Tuesday afternoon but stopped short of saying whether he was reversing his earlier opposition to a royal commission.
‘I continue to be engaged with leaders in the Jewish community. I’m talking and meeting on a daily basis with people to make sure that we do everything that is possible,’ he said in Cloncurry, where he was meeting residents affected by the northern Queensland floods.
‘What we need to do is to promote unity at this time, and that is my focus.’
Albanese has been accused of ignoring the pleas of Bondi victims’ families after he declared there will not be a royal commission.
Instead, retired spy boss Dennis Richardson is due to lead a government review, which will examine the conduct of federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies prior to the attack, with findings due by April.
The Prime Minister has previously argued the Richardson Review will provide swift answers and prevent the politicisation of a moment of national grief after 15 people were shot dead last month while celebrating Hannukah at Bondi Beach.
‘My job as the leader, as the Prime Minister, is to bring the country together – not to divide, not to seek differentiation, but to seek common interest,’ he said.
‘We need to go to the heart of what occurred and, importantly, ensure this never happens again.’
Albanese has been accused of ignoring the pleas of Bondi victims’ families after he declared there will not be a royal commission (pictured, mourners and flowers at Bondi Pavilion)
Experts also caution that royal commissions, while the highest form of inquiry, often take years and demand precise terms of reference and actionable recommendations.
However, there has been a growing wave of support for a commission, including an open letter signed by more than 20 former senior Labor figures.
The group, including ministers, MPs, senators, and party and union officials, said only a Commonwealth inquiry could unpack the ‘broader ecosystem of terror and hate and the capacity of the agencies to monitor terrorist threats’.
‘At stake is the health of our democracy and our national security,’ the letter reads.
‘Australians who are Jewish were the main target of this attack but all Australians are made less safe by the extremism that has inexorably escalated into lethal actions.’
The Coalition, victims’ families and Jewish community leaders have also demanded one.
The federal government is expected to recall parliament ahead of Australia Day to strengthen hate speech laws and introduce measures aimed at tackling hatred.
A date for parliament’s early return has been the topic of much discussion in Canberra corridors but, as of Tuesday morning, is yet to be confirmed.
The federal government is expected to recall the parliament early but Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said it should have returned before Christmas
Federal MPs and senators are currently slated to return to Parliament House on February 3.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said parliament should have been recalled before Christmas to respond to the terror attack.
‘The prime minister does need to yield to the calls now,’ she told Nine’s Today program on Tuesday.
‘Earlier on, he called for unity. He now has unity across this country. Every day, more and more decent Australians are stepping up.’
Alongside many Jewish leaders, a business collective and a clutch of sporting stars have also penned open letters calling for a royal commission.
Health Minister Mark Butler said while he respected those calls as ‘sincere and heartfelt’, he pointed to a planned NSW state royal commission to tackle many of those issues.
‘These calls are something that we respect and, of course, listen to. But our work right now is on those urgent and immediate things,’ he told ABC News Breakfast.
‘We’ve got a lot of urgent and immediate work that has been focusing our energy over the last few weeks.’
