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The shooting at Bondi Beach last Sunday was a tragedy that brought our nation to a standstill. A place synonymous with leisure, freedom and Australia itself was instantaneously transformed into a scene of terror. Australians did not simply witness a heinous act of violence that day, but the complete collapse of an assumption that many of us may have quietly held: that such events “don’t happen here anymore”. The shooting was an attack on the ideological basis of our country, the notion that Australian citizens ought to be able to gather without fear or the threat of persecution. The utter failure to protect this principle demands more than empty words and token gestures.

The Warning Signs

For years, security services have warned that the true civilian threat to Western society is no longer terror networks, but lone actors subjected to increasing radicalisation, many of whom were previously known to law enforcement. It took the Bondi Beach shooting to exemplify the failure of our system and shed light on just how vulnerable we are to these threats. The conversation must not be deflected to one about gun control, but address the true motivator of the attack – antisemitism. The shooting has rightfully precipitated a long-overdue discussion about the extent of this destructive ideology in Australia, one that has been cast aside far too frequently.

While the Albanese government had taken various steps to address the escalating threat of antisemitism, many of its subsequent actions and policy decisions were motivated by political optics that contributed to the radical climate surrounding the shooting. Such instances include the inefficient rollout of funding for security at Jewish schools and synagogues as well as delayed public statements on antisemitic incidents, weakening deterrence to antisemitic attitudes. Simultaneously, its recognition of a Palestinian state in September represented a desperate attempt to appeal to its Muslim voter base, intensifying domestic tensions over the Israel-Gaza conflict and, by extension, the Jewish community. There is something seriously awry if a community is fearful of expressing its cultural identity in Australia, and the Albanese government should, in part, be held accountable. After all, leadership is most effective before a tragedy, not after it.

The Lesson for Australia

Australians must now be able to have a rational discussion about national security, immigration and radicalism, without the threat of being labelled as racists or bigots. Our multicultural society can only remain intact if each and every one of us shares a common vision of upholding the law, respecting one another and seeking the best for our nation. When we turn a blind eye to extremist ideology for the sake of virtue-signalling or appearing considerate of ‘cultural diversity’, we risk precipitating such tragedies.

The only rational response to the shooting is now to conduct a thorough investigation independent of divisive party politics, to root out the destructive faults that plague our system. After all, the true threat to our democracy is not transparency, but secrecy. However, this has not lessened the incredible acts of bravery displayed by emergency services and regular Australians that day, who looked out for one another and rallied around our Jewish community. It is, without a doubt, the best that Australia has to offer. But resilience cannot be used as a smokescreen for acceptance, and Australians must not have to be “resilient” to terrorism as a way of life.

Moving Forward

The shooting must be the turning point towards policies that are grounded in reality, not in ignorance and optics. Now more than ever, Australians need leadership that prioritises real human lives over futile political pandering, leadership that understands that public safety serves as the bedrock on which all freedoms are erected. If we do not learn our lesson, the Bondi Beach shooting will not be the final time we mourn in a place that was meant to be safe. Next time, Australians will rightly ask why nothing changed when we still had a chance.

Read more: The Insight Corner