Australia says Bondi review to check if terror attack could have been averted

SYDNEY - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday an independent review into law enforcement agencies set up after the Bondi mass shooting will assess whether authorities could have taken additional steps to prevent the terror attack.

Albanese said the review will examine whether existing laws or information gaps stopped police and security agencies from acting against the alleged attackers, a father and son, who police say were inspired by the militant group Islamic State.

Fifteen people were killed in the mass shooting at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Sydney's famed Bondi Beach on December 14, shocking a country with strict gun laws and fueling calls for tougher controls and stronger action against antisemitism.

Families of those killed and injured on Monday urged Albanese to set up a royal commission, the most powerful type of government inquiry, to probe the rise of antisemitism and any intelligence failures tied to the attack, Australian media reported on Monday.

"Announcements made so far by the federal government in response to the Bondi massacre are not nearly enough ... You owe us answers. You owe us accountability. And you owe Australians the truth," said a statement from the families of those involved in the mass shooting, according to media reports.

Reuters could not immediately contact the families for comment.

Albanese, who is facing mounting criticism from opponents who argue his government has not done enough to curb a rise in antisemitism, has been resisting calls to set up a royal commission into the attack. He reiterated it would take years for the inquiry to submit the report.

"The government is committed to making sure that we can't wait years for answers. We need to get on with any changes that are required," Albanese told reporters, while announcing the terms for the review into the attack.

Albanese said the independent committee will submit the report in April and the Parliament will resume as soon as possible next year to consider any legislation. —Reuters