Australia’s federal intelligence and law enforcement agencies will be reviewed to assess whether they have appropriate powers and processes in the wake of the Bondi terror attack.<\/p>\n
In a statement, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the review would be completed in April and published.<\/p>\n
“The ISIS-inspired atrocity last Sunday reinforces the rapidly changing security environment in our nation. Our security agencies must be in the best position to respond,” he said.<\/p>\n
Dennis Richardson, the former head of ASIO and of the departments of defence and foreign affairs, will lead the review through the prime minister’s own department.<\/p>\n
Focused on federal agencies including ASIO and the AFP, the review will examine the “powers, structures, processes and sharing arrangements in place to keep Australians safe”.<\/p>\n
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Dennis Richardson will lead the review.<\/p>\n
The move was foreshadowed yesterday and follows calls for a broader royal commission covering antisemitism and other questions related to the attack.<\/p>\n
Government frontbenchers had downplayed the need for a royal commission, saying these typically took a long time.<\/p>\n
The announcement of a review comes after a meeting of the National Security Committee in Canberra on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The committee, comprising senior ministers, has met daily since the attack. The government has announced a series of new measures including a review of hate speech laws and a gun “buyback”.<\/p>\n
Sunday is a national Day of Mourning to mark one week since the attack targeting Jewish Australians attending a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach and killing 15.<\/p>\n
Mr Albanese will attend a service at the site on Sunday evening alongside NSW Premier Chris Minns and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley.<\/p>\n
Government defends performance of agencies<\/p>\n
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, who has responsibility for ASIO and the AFP, has expressed “full confidence” in the work of both agencies prior to and following the attack.<\/p>\n
The AFP Association, the union for the agency’s staff, wrote to Finance Minister Katy Gallagher last month voicing concerns<\/a> about “chronic and worsening shortages” in key areas including counter-terrorism.<\/p>\n