Second hearing block of Royal Commission to examine lead-up to Bondi terror attack

The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion has announced that the second hearing block will have a major focus on the circumstances surrounding the December 2025 terror attack at Bondi Beach during the “Chanukah by the Sea” celebration.

The hearings will examine key issues identified in the Commission’s Interim Report, including the terrorism threat environment before the attack, the actions of security and intelligence agencies, and the systems used to monitor individuals already known to authorities.

The attack at Bondi Beach on 14 December 2025 left 15 people dead and dozens injured in what has been described as Australia’s deadliest antisemitic terror attack. Police shot dead one of the gunmen, Sajid Akram (50), at the scene. His son, Naveed Akram (24), the accused surviving perpetrator, was arrested and has been charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act. The pair were reportedly motivated by Islamic State ideology, with Naveed previously examined by ASIO in 2019 over links to an ISIS cell.

The Commission said Hearing Block 2 would examine “the conduct of security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies relevant to the attack, including what was known about the shooters and what was done with that information”.

Particular attention will be given to how intelligence was shared between agencies and how decisions were made regarding surveillance, monitoring and firearms licensing. The Interim Report noted that Sajid Akram was a licensed gun owner.

The hearings will also investigate the security arrangements in place for the Chanukah by the Sea event itself, which drew large crowds to Bondi Beach. The report highlighted coordination with organisers and the absence of dedicated police resources for the event despite general requests for presence.

Other areas of examination include counter-terrorism resourcing and whether existing powers, systems and processes used by security and law enforcement agencies were effective. The Interim Report made 14 recommendations, including reviews of Joint Counter Terrorism Teams, stronger protections for Jewish events, and reforms for national consistency in firearms regulation and intelligence cooperation.

The announcement follows the release of the Commission’s Interim Report on 30 April 2026, which concluded that the threat environment facing Australia’s Jewish community had significantly deteriorated before the attack.

The Interim Report found there were no legislative gaps preventing authorities from acting, but identified concerns around coordination, intelligence sharing and operational effectiveness across agencies.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has already announced that the Commonwealth would accept all recommendations relevant to the federal government.

Some sections of Hearing Block 2 will be conducted behind closed doors because of national security concerns and ongoing criminal proceedings against the accused attackers. The Commission said closed hearings would not be livestreamed or open to the public.

Public sessions will be livestreamed through the Royal Commission website, with further details expected shortly.

The Royal Commission is continuing to seek submissions from individuals and organisations on all aspects of its terms of reference. Submissions close on 14 June 2026. The final report is due by 14 December 2026.

The second public hearing block will take place in Sydney from 25 May 2026.