Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed Parliament following questions regarding the advice received about a Royal Commission into the Bondi Beach tragedy.
During the first Question Time since the December 14 incident, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley criticized the timeline for calling a Royal Commission, noting the appeals from affected families.
Ley questioned the Prime Minister regarding his previous statements that national security experts had recommended a closed-door review rather than a public inquiry.
“The Prime Minister told Australians that the national security experts advised against a Commonwealth Royal Commission,” Ley stated. She asked if the current decision contradicted that advice or if the earlier claims were inaccurate.
Mr. Albanese responded by stating he could not publicly disclose details from the National Security Council. He then turned the focus to the legislative response regarding gun laws.
“One of the problems we have had… is the gap between the rhetoric of those opposite and what they have actually done,” he noted, emphasizing that experts supported the recent gun safety legislation passed by the government.
Albanese (pictured) had previously claimed ‘experts’ advised against a Royal Commission
Sussan Ley (pictured) asked if the Prime Minister was ‘making stuff up’ over the comments
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Debate over government response and apology
Earlier, Members of Parliament voiced disagreement as Ms. Ley criticized the government’s timeline regarding the response to the Bondi Beach tragedy.
“The families of the victims had to appeal to the Prime Minister, while navigating their grief, for a Commonwealth Royal Commission,” she stated. “Can the Prime Minister simply say sorry?”
Mr. Albanese expressed his sorrow for the hardship the community has endured but maintained his position regarding the process leading to the announcement.
“As I have said, I am sorry that this occurred, sorry for the grief and pain the community in our entire nation has experienced,” he said.
MP Julian Leeser also questioned the Prime Minister regarding the timeline of the decision.
“If a Commonwealth Royal Commission is the right approach, why was there a delay in the decision-making process?” he asked.
Mr. Albanese explained that the government had been taking time to work with the community to ensure the commission’s structure was correct.
The government’s gun reforms and hate speech bills will be debated in the Senate on Tuesday
‘We worked with the community on what a royal commission might look like because we wanted to make sure that we got it right,’ he said.
‘There are risks with the Royal Commission given that a criminal case will be taking place at the same time and we needed to make sure that was covered.’
Albanese also condemned the Opposition’s ‘character assassination’ of former High Court justice Virginia Bell, who has been appointed to lead the commission.
‘The character assassination that took place in some sections of the media and was briefed out by some people associated with that side of politics in Virginia Bell shows the problem that would have occurred had we not announced, not just a royal commission but who the commissioner was,’ he said.
Earlier on Tuesday, two bills covering gun reform and hate-speech laws passed the House of Representatives.
They are now set to be debated during a late-night Senate session on Tuesday. If approved, they will return to the lower house for a final vote on Wednesday.
CRE: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15479245/anthony-albanese-bondi-beach-inqury-lying.html