Australia’s most populous state will tighten security across Sydney following a deadly attack at Bondi Beach this month, with authorities leaving open the possibility of military support as the country reassesses its counterterrorism posture.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said on Sunday that residents should expect to see more police officers carrying long-arm firearms through New Year’s Eve and beyond as officials review security arrangements.
The remarks come two weeks after the Bondi terrorist attack in which two ISIS-inspired gunmen killed 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration. Officials have called the Dec. 14 massacre, carried out by a father and son, Australia’s worst terrorist attack. The father was killed in an ensuing shootout, while the son — identified as 24-year-old Naveed Akram — has been charged with 59 offenses including murder and terrorism.
Minns said the government was considering a wide range of measures, including the potential deployment of troops, and confirmed that discussions on additional security options were ongoing.
“We’re going to look very closely at security programs and measures in the future,” Minns said. “There’s a big challenge ahead of us to rebuild Jewish life in Sydney. So I’m not going to take anything off the table.”
Both the state and federal governments have rolled out a series of responses, pledging stronger action against extremism, including coordination with intelligence agencies and community leaders in the wake of the attack. Last week, the Minns government convened an emergency session of parliament to approve measures such as limiting the number of firearms an individual can own.
The state is also banning the public display of extremist symbols such as an ISIS, Hamas or Hezbollah flag.
At the federal level, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced tougher hate speech laws targeting those who promote violence or racial vilification, new aggravated offenses, and heightened powers to act against organizations and individuals spreading division.
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