Government welcomes Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion’s interim report

Recommendations

The interim report’s recommendations aimed to improve the country’s national counter-terrorism arrangements and capabilities. Specifically, some of the recommendations sought to: 

• Apply NSW police procedures regarding Operation Jewish High Holy Days to other high-risk Jewish festivals and events, particularly those with public-facing elements 
• Consider making the counter-terrorism coordinator’s role full-time 
• Include the Australia New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee (ANZCTC) in the Australian government crisis management framework to clarify its role, if it will serve as a crisis committee 
• Promptly update the counter-terrorism handbook and amend it at least every three years to align with counter-terrorism plan updates and the ANZCTC’s triennial review 
• Require the ANZCTC to commission a review of joint counter-terrorism teams 
• Consider whether National Security Committee ministers, including the prime minister, and all National Cabinet members should participate in a counter-terrorism exercise 
• Prioritise work to implement the proposed national gun buyback scheme 

In response to a few classified recommendations in the interim report, not publicly released as they could jeopardise sensitive national security information, the federal government said it planned to take speedy action, including an array of policy, program, and funding measures. 

In the joint media statement, the federal government expressed gratitude to the commissioner and her team for delivering the interim report. 

The federal government also thanked Dennis Richardson, who spearheaded the independent review of federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies, which the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion included. 

Last February, the federal government announced its intention to introduce legislation seeking to fortify the legal safeguards for those submitting intelligence and operational information to royal commissions, including the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion.