Anthony Albanese’s position has remained unchanged after the human rights commissioner entered the political fray and called for a royal commission to combat anti-Semitism.
The Prime Minister has been inundated with calls from Jewish groups and families of the Bondi Beach massacre victims for a wide-ranging national inquiry.
Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay responded on Wednesday to the Albanian government’s decision to instead launch an intelligence and law enforcement investigation, led by former Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) boss Dennis Richardson.
Finlay said the review would examine the country’s national security framework, but stressed it was crucial to understand the “root causes of violence”.
“The terrorist attack on Bondi was driven by anti-Semitism. Directly confronting it must be a national priority,” she wrote on social media.
“A Federal Royal Commission is essential to fully understand what happened and ensure it never happens again.”
Finlay will serve a five-year term as commissioner after being appointed by the Morrison government in 2021.
She was one of three authors who wrote a book arguing that section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act was “too broad and vague to be constitutional”.
Her support for a royal commission comes after more than 135 former judges and senior lawyers signed an open letter making the same call, although top brass Robert Richter has spoken out against the idea.
Albanese said there will be no consequences for Finlay wading into the debate despite being a government appointee.
“People are entitled to their opinions,” he told reporters at The Entrance, north of Sydney, on Thursday.
“Dennis Richardson… [is] the most qualified person you could possibly have to look at intelligence issues, to look at security issues on a national basis, to get to the heart of the matter.
“He is already working – he has a team that will look into all these issues.”
Albanese was asked for names after stating that he had been advised by “real experts” to hold a departmental investigation.
He named Richardson as one of the experts, along with the heads of “all authorities”.
The inquiry is due to conclude at the end of April, with the Prime Minister claiming it will take years for a royal commission to reach findings.
NSW Premier Chris Minns has simultaneously committed to a state royal commission into the attack and will not lobby the premier to change his mind.
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