‘Surprise attack’: Bondi probe hears from spy tsar

An inquiry into the Bondi Beach massacre is underway, with a leading figure suggesting Australia’s intelligence community didn’t foresee an attack.

There’s no evidence that any intelligence agency suspected a terror attack would take place before the Bondi Beach massacre, a high-level probe into the attack has been told.

After hearing first-person accounts of rising anti-Semitism within the community, a royal commission on Monday began looking at potential failures of security agencies to stop the December 14 mass shooting, which left 15 people dead.

The first witness giving evidence is ASIO director-general Mike Burgess, followed by senior officers from the Australian Federal Police and NSW Police.

Two representatives from Jewish security organisation CSG NSW are also due to appear.

Before witnesses were called, counsel assisting the royal commission Richard Lancaster outlined what was expected to come from the evidence, including that the massacre was a “surprise attack”.

“The examination of circumstances surrounding such a harrowing and deeply distressing event must be done sympathetically but unflinchingly,” he told the commission.

“There is no evidence any intelligence agency or law enforcement agency had any actual knowledge or specific information to suggest there might be an armed attack on the Hanukkah celebration.”

Among the issues under scrutiny will be security arrangements for the Chanukah by the Sea event targeted by two gunmen and what counter-terrorism agencies and police knew about the shooters.

Mr Lancaster said the Hanukkah community events were viewed by NSW Police as tier one security risks, compared with other Jewish celebrations held in September and October 2025 which were tier three, the highest threat.

Tier three events prompt counter-terrorism officers to manage policing of events, while tier one events are run by local officers.

In the lead-up to the attack, CSG warned NSW Police that a heightened atmosphere of anti-Semitism made a terror attack on the community likely, an interim report by the commission revealed in April.

Police planned to provide a high-visibility presence at the event, but they noted internally there was “no need to stay the entire duration” and ultimately only four officers and one area commander attended the event at various times.

Among 14 recommendations in the interim report was the need for tighter security arrangements at Jewish community gatherings.

Other endorsements included implementing nationally consistent firearm laws and a gun buyback scheme.

The report also recommended considering making the role of the Commonwealth counter-terrorism co-ordinator full-time and clarifying the role of the Australia-New Zealand counter-terrorism committee, including regular briefings to the national cabinet.

The report also made five recommendations that were redacted from the publicly released version for national security reasons.

The second hearing block will look at the resourcing of counter-terrorism and the effectiveness of current powers, systems and processes of security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies.

Commissioner Virginia Bell earlier suggested much of the second block of public hearings would be behind closed doors to avoid impacting national security and the ongoing criminal prosecution of surviving shooter Naveed Akram.

By: Alex Mitchell and Duncan Murray/AAP