Bondi Beach Antisemitic Shooting Spurs Political Tensions in Australia
The antisemitic shooting at Bondi Beach on 22 December 2025 has been described as Australia’s worst terror attack. The incident has sparked significant political controversy, with opposing parties accusing each other of politicising the tragedy.
Opposition leader Sussan Ley, along with Bridget McKenzie, criticised the Labor Party for allegedly using the attack for partisan purposes. Ley specifically defended her criticisms of Penny Wong for not attending funerals or Bondi memorials, stating she is unapologetic about her passionate support for Australians and Jewish Australians. Wong, for her part, condemned antisemitism and urged calm. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the Bondi memorial but was reportedly jeered, with Ley asserting that he has not been sufficiently present.
Bridget McKenzie further alleged that Labor’s recognition of a Palestinian state and Wong’s trip to Israel contributed to the attack, though she did not provide public evidence to support this claim. Chris Bowen from Labor responded by calling Ley’s remarks "disgusting and partisan," stating that Ley is not the arbiter of grief or mourning and warning against political exploitation of the national tragedy. Labor officials recalled past bipartisan responses to crises such as the Lindt café siege and the Port Arthur massacre in contrast to the current politicisation.
Prime Minister Albanese characterized the attack as ISIS-inspired and firmly rejected Coalition claims linking it to Labor’s Palestine policy or Penny Wong’s Israel itinerary.
