Bondi Beach shooting: Live updates as first funerals for victims begin, new details emerge on Sajid Akram

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has dodged a string of questions in the wake of the Bondi Beach mass shooting, including about the Albanese Government’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state.

The Senior Labor Minister was asked during an interview on the ABC on Wednesday afternoon about former Prime Minister John Howard’s criticism that the recognition decision was “premature, needlessly provocative”.

Journalist: “In hindsight, do you think that was the right decision?

Wong: “We were motivated to recognise Palestine, as was the United Kingdom, as was Canada, as was France, and many others.

“We were all motivated to make that step in order to contribute to peace in the Middle East. And now, Australia is one of 150-plus countries around the world that recognise Palestine.

“That is our motivation, and those are the facts.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has said the Bondi Beach mass shooting was a ‘radical, extreme’ act which sought to divide Australia.

She also defended the Albanese Government’s action on antisemitism after she was asked about the emotional speech by former Liberal frontbencher Josh Frydenberg in Bondi.

“Look, this was an attack, an anti-Semitic attack, on Jewish Australians - an attack which was evil, an attack which has left so many Australians dead, mourned by their families,” she told ABC.

“The Jewish Australian community is mourning, and so too is the whole of the country.

“What I would say is that this is a time that we need to come together. Because this attack was inspired by an ideology that is seeking to divide us.

“A radical, extreme view which seeks to divide our country. And so the most important thing we can do as a country is to come together.”

Liberal MP Julian Leeser has added to the criticism of Anthony Albanese for not acting on a report he received in July on combating anti-Semitism from his special envoy Jillian Segal.

Pressure is mounting on the Albanese Government after the Jewish community had repeatedly warned of the rising anti-semitism in two years since the October 7, 2023 attack.

“The Jewish community of Australia cannot live in empty words. Cannot live in gestures,” Mr Leeser said, at a Coalition press conference in Bondi on Wednesday.

“The time for action is now. The Prime Minister has had that report from Jillian Segal for six months.

“He’s had excuse, after excuse, after excuse about why he has not adopted the report. He should have adopted it when it came out.”

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has called out Anthony Albanese for being missing in action in response to the Bondi mass shooting.

Speaking at a press conference after attending the first of 15 victim funerals, Ms Ley called on him to act on the “road map” to combating anti-Semitism he was handed six months ago from his special envoy.

“What we need now is immediate action, and the roadmap to that immediate action is sitting on the Prime Minister’s desk.

“And there are more things that he could be doing and should be doing in the wake of this horrific massacre. But has he told the Australian people?

“Has he reassured the Jewish community? Is he here at Bondi? Has he walked the streets as we have? Has he listened?”

She said while the Coalition would support a Royal Commission into anti-Semitism, it “can’t be a convenient place for this government to send every difficult question or every difficult issue”.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has received a round of applause after declaring that anyone on temporary visas who brandished terrorist organisation insignia at protests should be deported.

“This hatred and vile language that incites violence, that has to stop now,” she told a press conference in Sydney on Wednesday.

“I know that every fair-minded Australian who looked at the hideous people behind banners of listed terrorist organisations marching across the bridge, standing in front of the Opera House, and asked ‘are these people here on some sort of temporary visa?’.

“Because if they are, they need to be immediately deported.”

Nationals Leader David Littleproud has accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of “walking away” from the nation’s moment and “era of need” after the Bondi Beach mass shooting.

“This is our nation’s moment. This is the prime minister’s moment. But unfortunately, he hasn’t grasped it. He’s walked away from it. There is an opportunity for him to lead,” he said, speaking to a press conference in Bondi.

He said the PM hasn’t acted on recommendations of a report by Australia’s special envoy for anti-Semitism Jillian Segal to combat the issue.

“He’s had it for nearly six months, one in which there’s 13 recommendations. Two of those come with potential federal legislation. I challenge him. Why aren’t we in Canberra today,” he questioned, saying the Coalition would return to Parliament if it was recalled.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the Federal Government will take Josh Frydenberg’s suggestions for stronger hate laws and crackdowns on hate preachers “very seriously” as it considers further steps to deal with anti-Semitism.

“I have a lot of respect for Josh Frydenberg… I don’t doubt the intensity or the sincerity of his views, and we take them seriously. And he, like a lot of Australians, is mourning and is grieving,” Dr Chalmers said at a press conference in Canberra.

“The government takes the evil of anti-Semitism seriously. We’ve taken some significant steps already, but we’ve all acknowledged that more steps need to be taken, and more steps will be taken.”

He also announced an extra $104 million would be given to Jewish community groups to increase security, in addition to funding they already receive, with a view to getting the money out the door as fast as possible.

The national security committee of Cabinet will meet again on Wednesday afternoon.

Murdered Rabbi Eli Schlanger has been remembered as a “loving” father, friend and mentor in a touching farewell which marked the first funeral for victims of the Bondi terror attack.

The 41-year-old father of five had been a key organiser of the Chanukah by the Sea event which was targeted by a father-son duo inspired by Islamic State ideology.

The gunmen murdered 15 people — including a 10-year-old girl and a Holocaust survivor. It came after a 300 per cent rise in anti-Semitism incidents since October 7 Hamas terror attack.

The Rabbi’s father-in-law Rabbi Yehoram Ulman delivered an emotional tribute during a service inside his local synagogue Chabad of Bondi, saying he had become “a son to us”.

“Your dedication to me… I could rely on you for everything. You’re my son, my friend, my confidant. Eli was the best father, the best husband, the best son,” he said.

​Read the full story here.​

The horrific injuries suffered by a young probationary constable during the Bondi Beach mass shooting, and his heroic efforts to help others even while injured have been revealed.

Jack Hibbert, 22, was shot twice during the chaos of the terrorist attack on Sunday, once in his head and once in his shoulder.

In a statement released by NSW Police on behalf of his family, the extent of the injuries caused by those bullet wounds has been disclosed.

Read the full story.

Josh Frydenberg says since the October 7 attacks in 2023, Jewish Australians have been failed by an Australian Government that ignored their warnings over dangerous, rising antisemitism.

Mr Frydenberg detailed multiple anti-Semitic events in Australia since October 7, including celebrations at the Opera House where, he says, gatherers chanted “gas the Jews”, something NSW Police didn’t accept, doxxing incidents, cancelling of Jewish artists, boycotting of Jewish businesses, graffiti on Jewish Schools, incidents at universities, firebombing of synagogues, anti-Semitic messages sprayed on explosive filled caravans and more.

“Our governments have failed every Australian when it comes to fighting hate and antisemitism,” he said.

“Our prime minister, our government, has allowed Australia to be radicalised on his watch.

“It is time for him to accept personal responsibility for the death of the innocent people, including a 10-year-old child.

“It is time our prime minister accepted accountability for what has happened here. And it’s time our leaders stood up and led at last. This is a time for accountability and action.