Albanese’s intelligence review faces backlash from Frydenberg after Bondi attack

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday announced a sweeping internal review into the performance of the nation’s intelligence agencies, including the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, in the lead-up to the Bondi Beach attack. The review will be led by intelligence chief Dennis Richardson and is scheduled to be publicly released in April 2026. It will examine whether federal agencies had the powers, structures, processes and sharing arrangements needed to prevent terrorism and how they acted in the run-up to last Sunday’s deadly shootings.

Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg lashed out at the announcement, posting on social media that the review is “bulls**t,” and urged the government to launch a federal royal commission. Frydenberg has long pressed for a royal commission into the Bondi attack, which claimed 15 lives at a Jewish festival on December 14 and involved alleged gunmen Naveed Akram and his father, Sajid.

In his response, Frydenberg argued that the review would not address the core issues, including antisemitism and radicalisation, and asked what Albanese fears a Commonwealth Royal Commission would uncover. He described federal responsibility for the threat as national, noting that the attack and related violence cannot be contained by a state-level inquiry alone. Frydenberg wrote that the tsunami of hate faced by Jewish Australians is a broader danger to all citizens and urged the prime minister to take decisive action.

The Bondi attack, which shocked Australia, prompted a broader federal conversation about security powers and oversight. Albanese’s plan foreshadowed a broader assessment of law enforcement and intelligence capabilities, and whether agencies require enhanced powers to prevent similar incidents. The inquiry will consider whether there were gaps in information-sharing and in the authorities’ ability to disrupt radicalisation before the attack.

NSW Premier Chris Minns has publicly supported a royal commission, suggesting that the scope of the inquiry should extend beyond state borders and address federal responsibilities. Sydney MP Allegra Spender, among others in federal Parliament, called for a royal commission with broad investigatory powers, arguing that the inquiry should involve public submissions and extensive outreach to the Jewish community.

Government officials have emphasized a staged approach to reform. In the week following the Bondi violence, authorities announced measures to address firearms access, including a plan for the largest gun buyback since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, tighter gun ownership limits and steps to combat antisemitism. Albanese has indicated that any recommendations from the internal review could inform further policy actions and legislative changes if warranted by the findings.

The review’s findings are due to be published in April 2026, and officials say the document will be publicly available. As Australia grapples with the evolving security landscape, the debate over how best to scrutinize and strengthen national security institutions remains a central issue for federal and state leaders alike.