Coalition MPs have launched an extraordinary attack on Foreign Minister Penny Wong, accusing her of not shedding 'a single tear' after the Bondi terror attack and linking the government's recognition of Palestine to the incident. At a press conference on Monday, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and shadow minister Bridget McKenzie claimed, without evidence, that Labor's policies had contributed to the attack.
McKenzie directly linked Wong's failure to visit certain sites of the October 7 Hamas massacre in Israel and the government's decision to recognise Palestine to the Bondi attack, stating: 'All of these decisions of your government have brought this upon us.' She called for a royal commission, claiming the problem was 'not the gun, it's Islamic extremism, and it's in our suburbs.'
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese rejected the accusations, saying evidence showed the attack was ISIS-inspired. He defended his decision for an intelligence review, arguing a royal commission would take too long. Shadow education minister Julian Leeser criticised Labor for being 'late to act' on banning doxxing and Nazi symbols, though government sources noted the Coalition had voted against anti-doxxing legislation in November 2024.
Wong, who visited Israel in August to meet officials and hostage families, strongly condemned antisemitism and the Bondi attack, calling for a de-escalation of national debate. About 150 countries have recognised Palestine, and there is no evidence linking the government's August announcement to the attack.
