Australian Inquiry Recommends Security Boosts and Gun Reforms After Bondi Shooting

An interim royal commission report into the December 2025 Bondi Beach mass shooting recommended increased security measures for Jewish public events and further gun reforms among 14 initial proposals. The report found no gaps in Australia's legal frameworks that hindered prevention or response to the attack, which killed 15 people.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that his government would adopt all the recommendations. The shooting occurred on December 14, 2025, at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney's Bondi Beach, carried out by a father and son allegedly inspired by the Islamic State group.

Authorities identified the perpetrators as Sajid Akram, 50, who was killed by police at the scene, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, who faces 59 charges including 15 counts of murder and one of committing a terrorist act. The incident marked Australia's deadliest mass gun attack in three decades.

The report called for a comprehensive review of joint counter-terrorism teams, to be submitted within three months, and expansion of security protocols from Jewish High Holy Days to other high-profile Jewish festivals. It also urged prioritizing nationally consistent firearms reforms and accelerating a proposed national gun buyback plan.

Five recommendations remain classified due to national security concerns. The inquiry found that New South Wales police had been informed of a 'high' threat to the Chanukah by the Sea festival but did not complete a comprehensive risk assessment. Despite this, the report stated no urgent changes were needed, as existing frameworks did not impede law enforcement.

It recommended updating the counter-terrorism handbook and involving senior government officials in exercises. A prior review by the former spy chief was folded into this federal inquiry. Public hearings are set to begin next week, focusing on antisemitism in society, with a final report due by the end of the year.

David Ossip, President of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, described the report as an important first step but emphasized that antisemitism is a broader societal issue deteriorating before the attack. Alex Ryvchin of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry noted remaining questions about how the attackers acquired firearms and why the event lacked better police resourcing.

The report addressed potential intelligence failures, to be examined in hearings, some possibly closed.

The recommendations include making the counter-terrorism commissioner's role full-time and requiring the prime minister and cabinet ministers to participate in counter-terrorism exercises within nine months of each federal election. Gun reforms proposed post-shooting have faced mixed responses, with some states like Queensland refusing the buyback scheme and ownership caps.

The inquiry aims to strengthen counter-terrorism capabilities at federal and state levels. The attack prompted tighter laws on gun ownership, regulation, and hate speech. Victims included a 10-year-old girl, Matilda, whose grandparents grieved at a floral memorial.

The report noted aspects where counter-terrorism could improve but identified no immediate actions required. The scope is limited due to ongoing court proceedings for Naveed Akram. The commission, led by former High Court judge Virginia Bell, delivered the 154-page interim report without proposing urgent changes.

After mounting pressure, he reversed the decision. The report confirmed that any pre-attack intelligence or policing allocation issues would be addressed in future sessions. The Bondi shooting united calls for reform but highlighted divisions in implementing gun controls across states and territories.

Advocacy groups stressed that while the report focuses on security, broader societal efforts are needed to combat antisemitism. The final report is expected on the attack's anniversary.