Backbone Australia Statement on the Bondi Attack

By John Ogilvie

The devastating terrorist attack at Bondi Beach during a peaceful Hanukkah celebration has left a permanent scar on our nation. To call it horrifying is a profound understatement.

We mourn the 15 innocent lives lost and stand in solidarity with the over 40 injured, whose lives have been forever altered by this senseless act of hatred. Our hearts go out to the victims’ families, the Jewish community, and all Australians traumatized by this attack. May the memories of those taken be a blessing, and may we honour them by pursuing truth and justice without exploitation.

Mere hours after the bloodshed, agenda-driven politicians rushed to demand sweeping overhauls to Australia’s already stringent gun laws, framing the crisis as a failure of firearms regulation alone. It’s easy to place the blame solely on gun laws, as firearms were the tool used to carry out the attack. But this narrow focus blinds us to the deeper systemic failures and risks diverting us from addressing the root causes.

Police discovered Islamic State (ISIS) flags and two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the attackers’ vehicle, with a third IED nearby. Had guns been unavailable, these terrorists would likely have resorted to bombs, blades, or vehicles, as seen in other attacks worldwide.

But the gravest oversight in this gun-obsessed narrative is the glaring enforcement lapses.

One attacker, the father, obtained a firearms license in 2023, four years after his son was flagged by ASIO for potential ISIS links. The pair had even travelled to the Philippines last month, apparently for jihadist training.

NSW law explicitly empowers police to revoke licenses if holders have associates posing community risks – precisely this scenario. Failure to apply the existing law defies logic and demands accountability: An independent inquiry into law enforcement negligence is essential, and one likely outcome is to recommend shifting licensing to a dedicated, impartial agency to prevent such oversights. One needs to consider the possibility that appropriate action may not have been taken out of fear of being labelled racist, due to the ethnicities of the people involved.

Targeted reforms to gun laws could help, such as barring non-citizens (apart from those covered by reciprocal agreements with New Zealand) from licenses. But obsessing over new restrictions overlooks how existing laws, if enforced, would have disarmed these terrorists. It also blinds us to the broader threat. Terrorists adapt; guns are but one method amid explosives, ramming with vehicles, or stabbings.

Why then, are the Albanese and NSW governments laser-focused on weapons instead of terrorists? As several politicians and political commentators have already stated, framing this purely as a gun issue is a deliberate red herring meant to distract people from the real causes of this tragedy:

Lax enforcement and governmental complacency toward surging antisemitism and extremism.

Even John Howard, responsible for the sweeping 1996 firearms reforms in the wake of Port Arthur, has called the current discussion around gun control, “[an] attempted diversion” from the root causes of this attack.

Social media echoes this outrage, with widespread calls for Albanese’s resignation and ridicule of the gun-only framing as a distraction from radical Islamic threats. We cannot let political expediency eclipse the need for robust counterterrorism, community protection, and confronting hatred head-on.

A Beacon of Heroism Amid the Darkness

Yet, in this abyss of sorrow, a profound act of courage shines through.

As the terrorists unleashed horror on civilians, bystander Ahmed Al-Ahmed charged one assailant, wresting away his weapon in a selfless act that undoubtedly saved lives.

Ahmed embodies the Australian spirit of mateship and bravery and is deserving of the nation’s highest civilian honour. His heroism reminds us that light can prevail over evil, inspiring us to unite in resilience and remembrance.

In honouring the victims and heroes, let us demand real solutions: Enforce laws rigorously, combat extremism without apology, and safeguard our communities. Only then can we prevent future tragedies and heal as one.

Ahmed Al-Ahmed recovering in hospital