Anthony Albanese is expected to announce a royal commission into the Bondi Beach terrorist attack, with confirmation likely as soon as Thursday.
Sky News host Sharri Markson has reported that former Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia James Allsop is set to chair the federal royal commission into the Bondi terror attack.
The move comes amid pushback from the Jewish community, after earlier suggestions that Mr Albanese was considering retired High Court justice Virginia Bell to run the inquiry.
Former Liberal treasurer Josh Frydenberg criticised the original choice, saying Australia’s Jewish community had raised ‘serious concerns’ about Bell’s possible appointment.
‘The Prime Minister has been told directly by leaders of the Jewish community that they have serious concerns about this appointment,’ Frydenberg said.
‘This is a time for unity and national healing.’
He urged the Prime Minister to choose a commissioner whose leadership could deliver the answers and solutions the country ‘urgently needs’.
‘After more than two years of unprecedented hate, harassment and violence directed towards the Jewish community, culminating in Australia’s deadliest terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, it is unthinkable the Prime Minister would choose a commissioner who did not have the total confidence of the Jewish community,’ Frydenberg said.
Former Liberal treasurer Josh Frydenberg has criticised Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s pick to run the royal commission
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley renewed her calls for a Commonwealth royal commission on Thursday.
Ley declined to comment on the possible appointment of any particular individual as commissioner, but reaffirmed the Coalition’s push for a panel of three commissioners.
Ley called for a representative of the Jewish community with expertise in antisemitism, an expert in counter-terrorism, national security, intelligence and law enforcement, and a current or former superior court judge to lead the inquiry.
