Australian Jewish Community Criticizes Albanese’s Controversial Pick To Lead Bondi Royal Commission
Former High Court justice Virginia Bell has quickly become the focus of dispute as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese weighs who should lead a long-anticipated federal royal commission into the Bondi terror attack.
Her possible appointment, raised inside government discussions, has drawn significant objections from Jewish community advocates who argue she lacks broad trust among Jewish Australians following last month’s mass-casualty assault.
Calls for a national inquiry have intensified since the December shooting, when two Islamic State-inspired gunmen killed fifteen people during a Hanukkah gathering near Bondi Beach. Albanese, who had initially rejected a federal probe, is now preparing to reverse course after sustained appeals from Jewish community leaders, legal experts and public figures seeking scrutiny of the attack, the performance of security agencies, and rising antisemitism.
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Those pushing for the commission have privately questioned Bell’s suitability, saying her appointment would likely deepen tensions. Critics note that she is viewed as staunchly aligned with the political left, raising concerns about whether she could command confidence from affected families and community groups.
Former finance minister Josh Frydenberg sharply criticized the idea, saying that “it is inconceivable that the Prime Minister would choose a commissioner who does not have the full confidence of the Jewish community.” He added that despite Bell’s legal credentials, she is not seen as a consensus figure.
The backlash has prompted government figures to explore alternatives. Former Federal Court chief justice James Allsop is now being seriously discussed, along with other senior jurists such as former High Court chief justice Robert French and Federal Court judge Michael Lee. Former security officials Dennis Richardson and Duncan Lewis have also been floated as potential candidates.
Albanese has told colleagues that his reassessment followed conversations with those most directly affected by the attack. He said he shifted his stance only after speaking with Jewish community representatives and, in his words, after meeting “the families of the victims and survivors of the horrific attack.”
Although Parliament is not scheduled to return until February, political leaders expect to be recalled to Canberra within the next two weeks to address the commission’s establishment.
