Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has called for urgent action to tackle antisemitism and extremism, accusing the Prime Minister of failing to act despite warnings from his own adviser, in the wake of last Sunday’s deadly Bondi attack.
After spending a week in Bondi meeting with members of the Jewish community, Ley said the message she heard was clear: “the time for words is over and the time for action is now”.
“Australia experienced one of its darkest moments last Sunday,” Ley said in a statement issued to the media. “As the nation mourns, my team and I have been in Bondi every day this week listening to the Jewish community.”
She said Jewish Australians were “heartbroken” and many in the wider community were angry, pointing to comments made by the Prime Minister earlier in the day acknowledging that more could have been done.
“More should have been done,” Ley said. “And his own Antisemitism Envoy told him what needed to be done. The Prime Minister failed to listen. The Prime Minister failed to act.”
Ley said she addressed more than 2,000 people at a community gathering in Bondi on Tuesday, where she outlined how a Coalition government would respond if elected.
“If you preach hatred, preach radical Islam, glorify terrorism or incite violence and you are not an Australian citizen—you will be deported,” she said. “And if you are an Australian citizen, you will be arrested.”
Earlier in the week, Ley established a Coalition Taskforce on Antisemitism, Extremism and Counter-Terrorism. On Wednesday, the Coalition released a package of measures aimed at strengthening national security laws and combating antisemitism.
Under the Coalition’s plan, Ley said the party would move to pass legislation to implement the Special Envoy’s recommendations on antisemitism, modernise counter-terrorism laws and fund an expanded counter-terrorism response.
The measures would also end Labor’s policy of self-managed returns for ISIS brides, strip dual citizenship from terrorists and hate preachers, and bar extremists from entering Australia.
Ley called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to immediately recall Parliament to introduce the necessary legislation.
“We will never take a backward step from protecting Jewish Australians—or any other Australian,” she said.
“The Coalition will do whatever it takes to push for the strongest possible action to keep Australians safe.”
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