Dennis Richardson to lead review of federal law enforcement

Former intelligence chief Dennis Richardson will lead a review of federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies to examine their performance in the lead-up to last Sunday’s Bondi Beach terrorist attack.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Sunday the review would be based in his department and be made publicly available when it is finalised in April 2026.

“The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet will examine whether federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies have the right powers, structures, processes and sharing arrangements in place to keep Australians safe in the wake of the horrific antisemitic Bondi Beach terrorist attack,” Albanese said in a statement released late on Sunday morning.

“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.”

The announcement was foreshadowed on Saturday when Albanese lent his support to a state-based royal commission after NSW Premier Chris Minns said the powers of a wide-ranging inquiry were needed to determine what went wrong in the lead up to the events of last Sunday.

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Calls for a royal commission, led by the federal Opposition and other MPs including Sydney MP Allegra Spender, have grown over the past week but government ministers played down the need for a such an investigation saying it would take too long and draw resources away from law enforcement.

Spender, whose electorate of Wentworth takes in Bondi, said on Saturday a federal investigation should accept public submissions and be developed in consultation with the Jewish community but have broad-ranging investigatory powers akin to a royal commission.

Sunday’s announcement builds on announcement already made by the federal government over the past week in response to the attack including the biggest gun buyback since the Port Arthur massacre almost 30 years ago, work with the states to impose strict limits on the number of guns a person can own and a five-point plan to combat antisemitism.