Topics: Bondi Beach Terror Attack

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SARAH MACDONALD: Now, of course, the sun has risen on Bondi Beach, but the death toll from last night's terror attack has now risen to 16. That includes one child. We also know that four children are among the 40 people who have been injured. There were horrific scenes at Sydney's iconic beachfront last night when police say two men dressed in black shirts opened fire on the day of the Jewish religious holiday, Hanukkah, while many families had gathered there on the grass just outside the beach for a celebration, a Hanukkah barbecue. Dave Sharma is a senator for New South Wales, the shadow minister and former ambassador to Israel, also, of course, was the member for that area of Sydney where this dreadful attack has taken place, and he joins us now. Dave Sharma, hello.

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DAVE SHARMA: Good morning, Sarah, on this terribly sad day.

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SARAH MACDONALD: On a very dark day for Sydney and Australia. How is the Jewish community feeling this morning?

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DAVE SHARMA: Look, they're incredibly, um, shaken. I've been in touch with a large number of them over the past, 12 hours, and as you'd expect they're grieving, they're worried, they're anxious, they're terrified. Some of them are angry. And I think all of those emotions are understandable. Many in the Jewish community knew some of the victims personally, had family members, friends, acquaintances, at the Hanukkah celebration, because it was meant to be a celebration. So this has touched them all quite deeply. And, and bear in mind, of course, it's against the backdrop of a growing level of anxiety within the Australian Jewish community, and especially Sydney's Jewish community, over the past two years about their safety and their security.

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SARAH MACDONALD: Talking of that growing level of anxiety, it was pretty high before this happened. What do you think that means for Jewish people in Sydney now, in terms of how they go about their day-to-day life?

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DAVE SHARMA: Well, look, I think, in the immediate instance, I'd expect you'll see Jewish schools not opening and Jewish synagogues, not going on with their normal religious services. Um, these are institutions that already have a higher level of security than any comparable institution in Australia. But, sadly, this will be true, many of them are thinking, "Is Australia a safe place for them anymore?" And I think that's, that's heartbreaking and, and tragedy. This is Jewish-Australians who've been here since the time of the First Fleet and have made an immense contribution to Australia in so many walks of life, have been model citizens in so many respects, um, many of them feel genuinely and understandably fearful about their future safety and security and their ability to go about their lives. I mean, if, if an attack like this can happen at a, you know, at a, at a, a very open, welcoming religious festival that happens every year at at Bondi, that's open to the public at large and it's a, a celebration that is Jewish in nature but open to all members of the community, if people can target them doing something like this, you know, where can and will they be safe? And is, is that any way to live live your life? And I think those are the questions that they will all be grappling with right now.

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SARAH MACDONALD: I know there's criticism from some quarters already about the approach of the Albanese government to antisemitism over the past few years. Of course, Jillian Segal was appointed the Antisemitism Envoy after the election, and in July she gave that report into combating antisemitism. One of the recommendations was to bolster security at Jewish institutions like schools and places of worships, worship. Do you think the Jewish community felt that the protection level was high enough?

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DAVE SHARMA: Look, I would point to the statements that Gillian Segal and, and Jewish communal organizations like the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, like the Jewish Board of Deputies, like the Zionist Federation of Australia have made where they said quite rightly that, you know, they had been warning about the rise in antisemitism and expressing their concerns for some time, that, you know, what had begun initially as, as, as protests and soon morphed into property damage and firebombings and doxing and vandalism and harassment and intimidation, and they had been worried that it could lead to something more serious and fatal. And, you know, tragically and sadly, it has done so.

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SARAH MACDONALD: Yeah, absolutely, indeed. And I'm wondering as well, the community this morning, how would they be feeling about the decision by ASIO not to raise the terrorist threat level?

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DAVE SHARMA: Look I don't wanna presume to speak on their behalf, and I also don't wanna, you know... I, I respect Mike Burgess and our security and intelligence agencies. I think, we need to let them get on and do their job. There will be plenty of time for analysis and a forensic examination of were there any clues that we missed here? Was there something that we should have seen? I think, though, where we are now, um, a mere 12 hours after this happened, I think I wanna emphasize, my hope for the full recovery of the victims and my compassion and sympathy for all of those who've been, um, caught up in this, in this terrible terrorist incident.

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SARAH MACDONALD: Senator, how do we as a country now wrap ourselves around our Jewish community, but also in Australia more generally, work on unifying?

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DAVE SHARMA: It's a difficult task. I mean, I think something that each of us can do is if, if you have a Jewish neighbour or friend or colleague or workmate or business acquaintance or anything, be in touch. You know, just express your support and your sympathy and your sense of compassion. Because the Jewish community has felt not only fearful, but quite isolated and at times ostracized, within Australia over the past two and a half years. And, um, you know, let them know that they are welcome and valued parts of Australia and our society and our community, and that we want them to have a home here. We want them to feel safe and secure here. And I, I don't pretend that, you know, words alone will suffice here. But I think it's an important, gesture at a time when a community is really feeling besieged and quite terrified, that as many people, as can do be in touch with those that they know and try and reassure them on that score.

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SARAH MACDONALD: Senator, I appreciate you joining us this morning on NewsRadio. Thank you.

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DAVE SHARMA: Thanks for having me on, Sarah.

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SARAH MACDONALD: Pleasure. Dave Sharma there, senator for New South Wales, and the former ambassador to Israel. Now he was, of course, the former member for that area around Bondi in Sydney as well, where this terrible attack has taken place.

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[ENDS]

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