Pressure continues to mount on the prime minister to hold a national royal commission into the Bondi Beach terror attack, after independent MPs wrote to him demanding stronger action.
The federal government has so far rejected calls from the Jewish community, business leaders, sporting stars and politicians for the wide-ranging inquiry to examine the December 14 shooting and anti-Semitic sentiment in the community.
Police are still investigating the nation’s worst mass shooting in nearly 30 years, during which a father-and-son duo killed 15 people and wounded scores more at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach in Sydney’s east.
Federal Labor frontbencher Tim Ayres warned a royal commission could risk delaying the government’s response to the massacre.
He argued other inquiries were already afoot, including a review of Australia’s intelligence agencies by former spy chief Dennis Richardson and a NSW royal commission into the tragedy.
“This is the time to act with urgency, to be focused on unity here in Australia,” Senator Ayres told ABC TV on Monday.
“This is not the time to be doing things that are politically expedient or politically easy,” he said.
Independent federal MPs Monique Ryan, Kate Chaney, Sophie Scamps and Zali Steggall are the latest to write to Anthony Albanese demanding a federal royal commission.
“Only a federal royal commission will have the power to comprehensively and independently investigate the circumstances leading to, and authorities’ response to, the attacks, and examine actions and co-ordination across all levels of government,” they said in the joint letter.
The four MPs also called for changes to hate speech laws, to crack down on anyone attempting to incite hatred, along with more funding to protect the Jewish community.
“Australia has been the most successful multicultural country in the world,” they said.
“It can be again – but we must ensure that all our communities can practice their culture, traditions and beliefs in safety, and free from persecution.”
Other independents – including Sydney MPs Allegra Spender and Nicolette Boele, ACT senator David Pocock, Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie and South Australian Rebekha Sharkie – have previously expressed support for a national royal commission.
The latest letter follows similar calls from sporting legends and business leaders, including James Packer.
On Sunday, Olympians Dawn Fraser, Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett and Nova Peris joined around 60 athletes to demand a federal royal commission.
The NSW government has already promised a state-based royal commission, but critics argue that probe won’t adequately investigate any potential federal failures in the lead-up to the Bondi attack.
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