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Bondi Beach Terrorist Incident

Published on: December 2025

Record: HANSARD-1323879322-160783

Bondi Beach Terrorist Incident

Debate resumed from an earlier hour.

Dr MARJORIE O'NEILL (Coogee) (22:58:50):

We gather with heavy hearts, not as members of different parties, regions or constituencies but as Australians, united in grief, in love and in resolve. We meet in the shadow of a horrific terrorist attack against the Jewish community on Bondi Beach on the first night of Hanukkah—an attack that claimed the lives of too many innocent people and wounded many more. It was an attack on the Jewish community, many of whom came to Australia after fleeing persecution in the former Soviet Union. It was an attack on all Australians—an attack on the values of peace, inclusion and community that define our nation.

History reminds us that what begins with the Jews very rarely ends there, so it is with profound respect that I acknowledge those whose lives were taken—lives lived with purpose, generosity and love. Among those impacted, we mourn Matilda, just 10 years old, whose joy lit up her school and family and whose life was taken far too soon. Rabbi Eli Schlanger was a devoted spiritual leader and chaplain who guided others with wisdom and compassion. Reuven Morrison was a beloved father and grandfather. His final moments reflected courage and love. Boris and Sofia Gurman were married for nearly 35 years. Their selflessness and devotion to their community cost them their lives.

Dan Elkayam, a young French national, is remembered for his warmth and connection to others. Alex Kleytman was a Holocaust survivor. His life was a testament to resilience, gratitude and remembrance. We also mourn Peter Meagher, known to many as Marzo—a former police detective, photographer and much‑loved figure in Randwick Rugby and Sydney's rugby community. After four decades of service to the police, Peter gave generously of his time photographing Jewish community events and building strong ties through the work of his wife, Virginia, at Kesser Torah College. Both Peter and Virginia shared a close connection with Rabbi Schlanger. His loss, like that of many others, is deeply felt. We mourn all those lost: grandparents, neighbours and friends. Each was a vital thread in the fabric of our community. May their memory be a blessing.

Let us be clear: The alleged perpetrators of this barbaric act do not represent Australia, our people or our values. Terrorism, driven by hatred, has no place in our society and must be condemned without hesitation or qualification. Yet in the days since this tragedy, we have seen who we truly are. We have seen volunteer surf lifesavers leave seasonal celebrations and run towards danger, with lifeguards crossing sand and concrete barefoot to provide life‑saving aid; Ahmed al-Ahmed, who disarmed the attacker, placing himself in harm's way to protect others; and the more than 40,000 Australians lining up to give blood, offering not just donations but solidarity. Those acts define our nation: courageous, generous and united.

We honour our first responders, who ran towards gunfire when others fled. They included New South Wales police officers, including Detective Senior Constable Cesar Barraza, whose actions helped end the threat, and Probationary Constable Jack Hibbert and Constable Scott Dyson, who were grievously injured in their service. We thank our paramedics, firefighters, health workers, lifesavers and volunteers, who responded without hesitation, holding our community together in its darkest hour. This tragedy has shattered families and shaken our sense of safety. It has also ignited compassion, interfaith solidarity and a collective resolve that hate will not define us. In the face of fear, love must lead. In the face of hatred, unity must prevail.

The people and groups that perpetrated these crimes seek to divide us, and we cannot allow them to do so. That is when they win. I call on the silent majority of Australians who believe in dignity, respect and peace to stand up. Stand with the Jewish community. Stand against antisemitism, against racism, against division, against violence and against hate. Speak up. It is not enough to leave it unsaid. This nebulous threat is real. Australia's strength lies not in the absence of tragedy but in how we respond to tragedy, how we heal together and how we build a future grounded in unity, humanity and hope.

Mr GURMESH SINGH (Coffs Harbour) (23:03:40):

When I was a younger bloke at uni, I lived and worked at Bondi Beach. In the early 2000s it was a peaceful and vibrant community. However, that peace and vibrancy was shattered a week ago. Families across the country and across the world were glued to their TVs and their social media, watching the horror play out in front of their eyes. We could not believe what we were seeing and that these scenes were actually coming from Australia. But, on reflection, we should not be surprised. At the official State memorial last week, Archbishop Reverend Anthony Fisher said:

For two years now, week after week, demonstrations have taken place here in Hyde Park, within earshot of the Great Synagogue, where inflammatory messages were articulated unchecked, slogans chanted that only turned up the temperature, messages delivered that made violence thinkable. This must stop!

The signs were there. Early last week we held an interfaith meeting with our local police. Young Jewish people on the Mid North Coast told harrowing stories of the antisemitism that they faced. I am a Sikh Australian. I have never sought to promote it, but I have never hidden from it either. It pained me that our Jewish community were hiding their identity. I read an extract from a letter I received today:

One high school student experienced repeated questioning and blame from peers, expected to answer for actions entirely beyond her control. She was told by peers that "her people are causing a genocide" and that they are "baby killers". She was repeatedly asked, "How could she support them?" and "Where are your morals?" In the classroom, a teacher promoted pro-Palestinian material and, on more than one occasion, compared Israel to Nazi Germany. The student and her family raised these issues with school leadership, but the outcome placed the burden on the student, with no consequences for the teacher. She was harassed for weeks and chastised for speaking out. A Jewish teacher at her school attempted to intervene, but nothing was done. To avoid further distress, the student withdrew from Advanced English. In the school bathroom, "Free Palestine" graffiti was mixed with swastikas, making the true sentiment behind these words unambiguous.

It breaks my heart that young people in Australia have to put up with the systemic antisemitism that we see in that extract. Like in the traditions of Hanukkah, and also much like the Indian tradition of Diwali, light overcomes dark. On Sunday night we were joined by many of our parliamentary colleagues and other dignitaries, and we joined 20,000 people at Bondi Beach to pay our respects to the victims of the worst terrorist attack in recent memory. We celebrated the heroes. We celebrated the first responders, the police officers, the lifesavers and the ordinary community members who went above and beyond to help their community and their fellow men. Our hope is that the darkness of the past week will lead to a new light, where we can all be proud of who we are and live in peace.

Dr HUGH McDERMOTT (Prospect) (23:07:37):

I hold in my hand a kippah from the holiest place in Judaism, the Western Wall. I was given it by a rabbi when I went there three years ago. I wear it in honour and remembrance of those who have been lost. This act of terrorism and hate on the first day of Hanukkah caused so much death, destroyed life and gave way to darkness. We know that evil exists, and it causes so much damage. My community in Western Sydney understands such evil, and many have migrated to Australia, like those in our Australian Jewish community, to rebuild their lives free from such hatred. Sadly, that hatred has followed, and we all now live in its demonic shadow. We have seen a steady rise in antisemitism in New South Wales.

In 1991, in the wake of the civil war in Lebanon and the Gulf War, the Bankstown Synagogue was firebombed and burnt to the ground, never to be rebuilt. In fact, there were five attacks on synagogues that year alone. The Parramatta Synagogue has also experienced increasing and heightened threats and needed to greatly increase its security and remove signage from the street view.

Over the past two years, the increasing hatred towards our Jewish community has been witnessed daily—the bombings; the graffiti; the vandalism; physical and verbal threats; regular demonstrations with participants flying Islamist flags from ISIS, Hamas, Hezbollah and Syrian militias and holding portraits of Iranian ayatollahs; the establishment of an Islamist political party in Australia for the first time; and hate speech directed at Jews every day. We have seen the open and blatant presence of Nazis on our streets, in front of this Parliament and in the media. These acts were the path that led to the massacre on 14 December. Sadly, this trajectory is not new. Those have been the steps that have always led to the murder of Jews in the Middle East, in Europe, in Russia and in the Americas—and now here in Australia. This is the first terrorist atrocity causing mass casualties and targeting a specific race or ethnicity since our Federation. It has changed Australia forever.

Over the past seven days, leaders from my multicultural migrant communities in the electorate of Prospect—Assyrian, Armenian, Maronite, Tamil, Coptic, Maltese, Equatorian African, Telugu, Greek and Palestinian Christians, as well as multigenerational Australians and many faith leaders—have all spoken directly to me and to Jewish leaders to express their support, love and sadness. I speak for them and myself when I say there can be no place for or tolerance of hatred and violence directed toward our Jewish brothers and sisters—nor towards any people—because of their faith, culture or identity. Such violence wounds not only those directly affected but also the very soul of our society.

My community and I say that we will continue to stand against antisemitism. We will embrace our Jewish community. To those in our Jewish community in New South Wales and throughout Australia who are now living in fear and questioning their place in Australia, I say this: You belong here. Your Australian community loves you, respects you and cares for you. We will rebuild your lives here with you. We are committed to making sure that the darkness that has been brought in these first days of Hanukkah is pushed aside and that the light comes back, so that our valued Jewish community, friends and neighbours will continue to live in harmony with us. I thank the House.

Mr MICHAEL REGAN (Wakehurst) (23:12:26):

It is with a broken heart that I rise to speak on behalf of the people of Wakehurst to express our collective shock and grief over the events at Bondi Beach on Sunday 14 December. I express our sincere and deep condolences to the families and loved ones of the 15 innocent people who were murdered in this senseless and abhorrent act of terrorism—men, women and, indeed, a young child who were simply enjoying a sunny Sunday afternoon at the beach, something the good people of Wakehurst can absolutely relate to. Those 15 people were gathering with friends and family to celebrate one of the most holy days in the Jewish calendar. The targeted attack on the first night of Hanukkah was a blatant act of antisemitism, and I stand with the Jewish community, and indeed with the broader Australian community, to state categorically that this evil will not be tolerated in any form.

I also send the best wishes of the Wakehurst community to those who lie in hospital still, some of them injured as they entered harm's way trying to stop the slaughter or to assist others around them. In particular, I express my respect and endless admiration for the two incredibly brave young police officers, Constable Scott Dyson and Probationary Constable Jack Hibbert, who faced the unimaginable that day. To Jack and his family, northern beaches locals want to express the community's unwavering support. We will be there for him every step of the way as he recovers from his injuries both seen and unseen.

I actually met Jack when he was part of the amazing Links to Learning program, a local educational pathway for students who do not quite fit with the traditional school system—something I can relate to. For Jack to not only complete his studies but to go on to sign up for the Police Force speaks volumes of not only the program but also Jack's values, his drive and his commitment to civic duty. Sam King, the CEO of the program, said to me the other day:

Michael, you've met him and known him as a result of him becoming a great young person through links to learning—and by his own admission he was an absolute ratbag, and I know he has told many people that the program helped him get his life on track.

Sam went on to say:

Fast forward to now and he has made lots of really amazing choices, all of which have been compassionate and giving and selfless. It's actually a shame that this Bondi incident had to occur for him to be recognised for the great young person he has become.

Jack and I both know Sam all too well and know how hard she is to impress, so that is high praise indeed. To Jack and, indeed, every officer who attended the scene that day—in fact, to every police officer who serves our community every day—I say thank you. I literally say, thank God for you. I also acknowledge the extraordinary paramedics, nurses, doctors, hospital staff and everyone who ran toward danger and worked tirelessly in the aftermath to save lives and care for the injured.

Let me be absolutely clear: We condemn antisemitism without hesitation, and we also reject any attempt to respond to this evil with racism or the blaming of entire communities. Let us not become the monster in order to defeat the monster. When I reflect on that Sunday evening, as the messages started coming through alerting us to what was happening, I recall feeling how the sense of horror was so strange and unfamiliar to us here in Australia. Indeed, as I hugged my wife in the kitchen that night, all she could say was, "This is not Australia". Indeed, that is not Australia. Hatred, violence and division is not Australia. The intention of the terrorists on that summer evening was blatantly clear: to target our Jewish community and divide the rest of us. I say to my fellow MPs that it is up to us, as leaders in this place, to unite and hold the line so that, while our hearts may be shattered, our sense of community cohesion will not break. Each of us represents a community made up of diverse races, cultures and religions, and that attack on one community was an attack on all of our communities.

I am not an overly religious person, and I will not pretend to be, but one thing I have learnt over the years is that the major faiths of Judaism, Islam and Christianity can trace their origins to the same source—Father Abraham. At this time of division and confusion, we should focus on what unites us and the values that bring us together, not the hate that seeks to drive us apart. In the past week I have learnt a lot about the Jewish faith, particularly the traditions of Hanukkah, a festival of light to symbolise freedom, faith and hope. Again, I am struck by the similar symbolism of light found in other religions. Right now, in Christian households across Australia and the world, advent wreaths are lit each week in reference to the birth of Christ as the light of the world. During the Islamic celebration of Ramadan, we see the symbolic use of the Fanous lantern, a hanging lamp symbolising spiritual enlightenment, hope and guidance. The Festival of Diwali, celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains around the world, symbolises the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.

All of those traditions focus on spiritual renewal, prosperity, good deeds and new beginnings. Surely all of those traits are much needed now. They say that the darkest hour is right before the dawn, and there is no doubt that this is our nation's darkest hour, certainly in my lifetime. Let us not wait for the light; let us be the light. Let each of us bring light into the darkness and be the goodness, kindness and compassion. Let each of us be a moral beacon against darkness and bring light and warmth to all around us. Although our hearts are broken, they are broken open. With those open hearts, let us go forward and renew our commitment to a better, more caring and safer world for all.

Ms JENNY AITCHISON (MaitlandMinister for Regional Transport, and Minister for Roads) (23:17:52):

— Around this State, around the nation and around the world, people are experiencing shock, sadness and grief at the death of 15 beautiful people and the injuries to many more on Sunday 14 December. What started as the celebration of Hanukkah, the festival of light, ended in darkness, fear, terror and then shock as we were left trying to comprehend what happened. There is no comprehending evil; it just is. There is no excuse nor explanation that can bring those much-loved people from our community back, heal the wounds and take away the trauma. There is just the promise from all of us to do better and ensure it never happens again.

As I said in this place earlier today, Bondi has changed us forever as a nation. For all Australians, but for Jewish people particularly, this attack has made us feel a little less safe and made us hesitate a little or second‑guess our actions and conversations in our daily lives. While the people targeted were Jewish Australians, we all bear the wounds. They are us. There are people all over the State and the world who have been impacted by what happened at Bondi.

People come to Australia for many reasons—for work, for education, for love, to reunite with family or to escape fear, persecution and terror. At times it is easy to see only the different pathways we take to get here. Essentially, we or our ancestors all came here with one purpose: to start a new life. The basis of that new life and the thing that binds all of us—whether we are First Australians, whether we came here yesterday or whether our families came here many generations ago—is hope. There is hope that life here will be worth it, that the trauma of saying goodbye to everything those people knew or the daily struggle to raise a family, do their job or volunteer in their community will be worth it. We hope that we can do that without fear or oppression.

It would be easy to lose hope after Bondi, to stop trying and to pull the blanket up over our heads and feel powerless to be the change we all want to see. But that act of terror, at one of the holiest times for Jewish people, gives us the answer in its horror. While Bondi has changed us, it has also revealed, in the clearest possible way, who we are as Australians. When we are tested, we run towards one another to help, to provide cover and shelter, to disarm, to donate blood and to save lives. We do not run away. Bondi shows us that we must light the world with hope. That was what last night on Bondi Beach was about. After Bondi, things can never be the same, but we can and must choose hope and light to survive, to heal and to learn from tragedy. In the dark days ahead for the victims and their families, when there is nothing else, just being, surviving and getting through will sometimes be the best expression of hope.

I spoke earlier today about one of the victims, Mr Boris Tetleroyd, who was a gifted musician, a husband, a father and—among what I am sure are many attributes—an engineer with Transport for NSW. I expand on that to illustrate my point about hope. An engineer builds. They problem-solve and make things stronger and safer for people whom they may never meet. Hope is in every project they build and in every problem they fix. It was in Boris, and it will light the way for his family and the many other families who are struggling to recover and to make sense of the horror. I send love, light and healing to Boris's son, Yakov, who remains in hospital after being seriously injured last Sunday; Yakov's mother; Boris's wife, Svetlana; and their entire family. We are here for them. They are not alone in the loss of their beloved husband and father. We will not look away. Finally, I echo the wise words of our Premier, which have guided so many of us through the darkness in recent days, particularly today. He said:

I want to say this clearly and sincerely. We are deeply sorry.

We grieve with you and with humility, [we] acknowledge that the government's highest duty is to protect its citizens, and we did not do that one week ago.

That reality weighs on [us] heavily. We must accept that responsibility and use it to do everything and anything we possibly can to stop it from happening again.

I send my condolences, my love, my strength and, most importantly, my deepest hope to every single person in this State who has been hurt by these events. To the Jewish people in Maitland, across New South Wales and across Australia, I wrap you in my arms and commit to do all I can to ensure that it never happens again.

Ms FELICITY WILSON (North Shore) (23:03:06):

Tonight we gather in this place with heavy hearts, united by grief, shock and sorrow at one of the darkest days we have experienced as Australians. A picture perfect summer afternoon in one of our most iconic and vibrant communities was shattered by violence, hatred and fear. We mourn those who were taken and stand with those who remain injured, traumatised and trying to make sense of the unimaginable. Bondi is more than just an iconic place in Sydney; it is a symbol of who we are as Australians—diverse, open, free and connected. While the Jewish community was targeted by those terrorists, the entire Australian community has also been attacked.

On the first night of Hannukah, a Jewish celebration of light overcoming darkness, those wishing to simply express and celebrate their faith were ruthlessly and viciously shot down in cold blood.

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