Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the terms of an independent review into the Bondi Beach terror attack, which claimed the lives of 15 people, including a 10‑year‑old child.
The review will be led by Dennis Richardson AC, a former head of ASIO and former secretary of both the Defence and Foreign Affairs departments. It will examine whether Australia’s federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies including ASIO and the Australian Federal Police operated as effectively as possible in the lead‑up to the attack.
Albanese said his “heart breaks” for the families affected by the tragedy.
“Just over two weeks ago, antisemitic terrorists tried to tear our country apart, but our country is stronger than these cowards,” he said.
Scope of the Review
The review will:
Assess the performance and coordination of federal agencies
Examine what authorities knew about the alleged offenders before the attack
Evaluate information‑sharing between Commonwealth agencies
Review cooperation between federal and state bodies
The findings are expected to be completed and published in April.
Albanese’s announcement followed a meeting of the National Security Committee in Canberra. He said Richardson’s task is to determine whether agencies “performed to maximum effectiveness” and to identify any gaps in intelligence or operational response.
Richardson has previously led major reviews of Australia’s intelligence community and parts of the Home Affairs portfolio, making him one of the country’s most experienced national security reviewers.
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