Just ten days ago, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese rejected calls for a royal commission into antisemitism. On Thursday, speaking from the same lectern, he declared such an inquiry “vital” to healing a nation reeling from its worst-ever terror attack. The abrupt reversal has sparked intense scrutiny over what prompted the sudden change of heart.
“I respect people’s views and I listen to them,” Albanese said during a press conference in the prime minister’s courtyard at Parliament House in Canberra. “I take the time to choose the right path, the course of action that will make a positive difference to our country.”
The inquiry will be a federal royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion, to be led by former High Court justice Virginia Bell. The government stressed that the commission will provide timely answers, with former spy chief Dennis Richardson’s snap review of intelligence and security agencies being integrated into the broader investigation.
Bell is expected to deliver her report no later than 14 December — exactly 12 months after the Bondi terror attack that claimed 15 lives and left 40 others wounded. The terms of reference will ensure the commission does not prejudice ongoing or future criminal trials and is conducted in a format that avoids platforming racial hatred.
As Albanese outlined the commission’s framework, he indirectly highlighted the shortcomings of the arguments he and his ministers had deployed to justify their initial refusal. Critics say the “right path” was always apparent; Albanese had simply chosen not to follow it.
Sources close to the prime minister say he was never opposed to a royal commission but had focused on immediate measures, including hate speech reforms, gun control, and implementing recommendations from Jillian Segal’s antisemitism review.
Inside the Labor caucus, however, some remain skeptical. Many believe Albanese initially resisted due to political calculations, fearing a royal commission might create more controversy than benefit. Pressure mounted as open letters and public campaigns demanding the inquiry dominated front pages, making resistance increasingly untenable.
When relatives of 11 victims of the Bondi attack formally requested a national inquiry on 29 December, Albanese could have reconsidered, at least leaving the door open. Instead, he and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke argued that a royal commission might platform antisemitic sentiment, a suggestion that deeply offended Jewish communities seeking acknowledgment and action against rising antisemitism.
“It was bullshit,” one Labor MP said of the claim.
As public pressure intensified, threatening to overshadow Labor’s broader legislative agenda, the prime minister had little choice but to concede. Key Labor figures, including Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Health Minister Mark Butler, had already begun signaling a shift earlier in the week, expressing empathy toward proponents of a royal commission without openly endorsing it.
By Thursday, the decision was formal. Albanese framed the inquiry as central to national healing. “Our government’s priority is to promote unity and social cohesion,” he said. “This is what Australia needs to heal, to learn, to come together in a spirit of national unity. Just like people who gathered that night on Bondi Beach were committing to, light will prevail over darkness. It’s clear to me that a royal commission is essential to achieving this.”
For many observers, however, the need for a royal commission was evident from the outset. Albanese’s reversal, while politically decisive, underscores the balancing act between immediate crisis management and responding to public and community demands in the aftermath of national tragedy.
