Australia debates immigration after Bondi Beach attack as call for code of conduct grows
Video urging a mandatory code of conduct for newcomers follows the Bondi attack that killed 15 and wounded more than 40; officials warn the investigation continues as protests loom.
A Sydney resident identified as Chanel has called for sweeping changes to Australia's immigration policy, urging new arrivals to sign a 'code of conduct' that requires them to 'live like an Australian' and 'obey the rules.' The appeal, posted online after the Bondi Beach attack on Dec. 14 that left 15 people dead and more than 40 injured, comes as anti-immigration protests are planned in Sydney and Melbourne this Sunday.
Police say the Bondi Beach attack occurred just before 7 p.m. on Dec. 14, when Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration. Sajid Akram was fatally shot by officers; Naveed was arrested and later charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder, along with a range of terrorism- and firearm-related charges. Investigators say Naveed is alleged to have acted to advance a religious cause and to cause fear in the community. Sajid Akram was born in Hyderabad, India, and moved to Australia in 1998; Naveed Akram was born in Australia.
Chanel's video includes a direct rebuke to newcomers who do not want to follow the rules and a pledge to remind them of the country they now live in. 'If you break the law, I dunno whether you guys want to give them one or two strikes, or whatever, if you break the rule, send them back,' she says. 'And don’t send them back on the Australian taxpayer's money. Build them a dinghy boat, send them back in a tinnie for all we care.' She adds, 'If you don't want to listen to the rules of the country, why should we sponsor you to go back to where you came from? Figure it out the same way you figured out how not to live the Australian way.' Chanel also referenced the Lindt Cafe siege of 2014 in her remarks.
Fifteen people were killed in the attack, including 10-year-old Matilda, and more than 40 were wounded. Early indications point to an ISIS-inspired motive, authorities said, as investigators continue to probe for possible accomplices and further evidence.
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said there was no immediate evidence that others were involved in the attack, but cautioned that the investigation could evolve as new information emerges.