After paying his respects at the Bondi Pavilion memorial for the victims of Sunday’s shooting, former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg made a powerful appeal. He called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to take urgent action against the rise of antisemitism in Australia.
“This massacre at Bondi is the greatest stain on this nation. It has brought the greatest shame to our nation,” Frydenberg said. “I’m here to mourn, but I am also here to warn. Unless our governments take urgent, unprecedented and strong action, as night follows day, we will be back grieving the loss of innocent life in another terrorist attack.”
Frydenberg, who is the first Jewish person to hold the treasurer role, spoke of the heavy toll this attack has taken on the Australian Jewish community. “This is the deadliest terrorist attack in Australia’s history. The greatest loss of Jewish life since October 7 anywhere outside the state of Israel.”
He recalled the disturbing scenes after the October 7 Hamas attacks, when a Jewish man was arrested for holding an Israeli flag, while hate-filled protests celebrating violence went unchecked. “We saw the doxxing of Jewish creatives, boycotting of Jewish businesses, harassment of students, firebombing of synagogues and day care centres, and daily protests of hate in this, the lucky country—which is lucky no more.”
Frydenberg was critical of government responses over the past two and a half years. “The Australian Jewish community raised the alarm bells but were told it wasn’t as significant as they said. The greatest massacre in Australia’s history is no hoax. It’s a horrible, evil crime.”
He called on the prime minister to accept responsibility for the rising hate and violence. “Our prime minister has allowed Australia to be radicalised on his watch. It is time for him to accept personal responsibility for the death of 15 innocent people, including a 10-year-old child.”
Frydenberg outlined specific steps he wants the government to take:
- Ban hate preachers who glorify violence. “The shooter was linked to a factory of hate in Bankstown. How can that be allowed to open for one day more? I say no, I say never.”
- Ban extremist organisations like Hizb ut-Tahrir, which are outlawed in other countries but not in Australia.
- Prosecute those who incite violence and hate. “People parade on our streets with Hezbollah, Hamas, ISIS flags, signs saying ‘Jews are Nazis’—yet where are the prosecutions?”
- Stop daily hate protests that have been ongoing for over two years. “There is a ceasefire in the Middle East. These protests are destroying lives.”
- Invest in education about the Holocaust and tolerance. “Bad things happen when good people stay silent. This needs wholesale reform in our education system.”
- Strengthen immigration security. “Thousands have come from terrorist hotspots without sufficient checks. Until we change this, no one is safe.”
Act on a detailed antisemitism report presented 150 days ago that remains unaddressed. “It has been gathering dust on your desk.”
Finally, Frydenberg demanded a royal commission into the Bondi attack and the rise of antisemitism. “You have supported royal commissions into banks, welfare, aged care. This is the deadliest terrorist attack in Australia’s history—there must be a royal commission. We deserve answers.”
He ended with a stark warning: “Guns stole 15 lives, but it was radical Islamist ideology that pulled the trigger. If you, prime minister, can’t say those words, you can’t solve them.”
Frydenberg concluded: “You have failed us. Your government has failed us. It is time you earned your title. If you don’t want to do the job, give it to somebody who will.”
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