Developing topic
This is a rapidly developing topic as the Royal Commission is still in its early stages. Many details are still not known. To stay up to date with developments, subscribe to our newsletter.
What you need to know
The Government established the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion in the wake of the Bondi Beach attack, to inquire into the causes of the extremism and antisemitism that led to the attack.
A Royal Commission is the highest level of inquiry in Australia. It is an independent and public inquiry for matters of national importance.
Antisemitism has become more visible, organised, and normalised in Australian society, contributing to the most deadly terrorist attack on Australian soil in our nation’s history.
This issue affects not just the Jewish community but all Australians.
Also useful to know
What a Royal Commission is (and is not)
A Royal Commission is the highest form of inquiry in Australia. It is an independent, fact-finding, evidence-based public inquiry with significant powers of inquiry, and can compel evidence and produce public reports.
It is not a court, a police investigation, or a ministerial review. It cannot make new laws or compel the Government to do anything, but its recommendations carry significant influence.
Royal Commissions produce a public report to the government setting out their findings and recommendations for change. The Government usually provides a formal response explaining how it will act on the Royal Commission’s findings and recommendations.
Read more about Royal Commissions, including how they are set up and what powers they have, on the Royal Commissions website.
Why a Royal Commission is needed
Antisemitism has become more visible, organised, and normalised in Australian public life than ever before. This contributed to the most deadly terrorist attack on Australian soil in history, the Bondi Beach terror attack.
Australians deserve an independent public inquiry into what happened and how we can reduce the risk of it happening again.
Who is heading it
The Royal Commission is led by former High Court justice Virginia Bell. Justice Bell is a senior jurist who has served on Australia’s highest court and led a significant public inquiry.
For more background, read Justice Virginia Bell’s biography on Wikipedia.
What it is focusing on
The scope of the Royal Commission is set out in its terms of reference, and includes inquiring into:
- Antisemitism, its nature and prevalence, its impact on the Jewish community and social cohesion, and how to respond to it
- Improving the law enforcement, border control, immigration, and security agencies’ response to antisemitism
- Circumstances surrounding the Bondi Beach attack on 14 December 2025
The Royal Commission can also make recommendations to strengthen social cohesion and counter the spread of ideologically and religiously motivated extremism, arising from its inquiry into the above.
For more detail, see the Royal Commission’s terms of reference.
How long it will run
The Royal Commission has been asked to start as soon as possible and work as quickly as possible, reporting back by 14 December 2026.
The Royal Commission has also been asked to submit an interim report into the circumstances of the Bondi Beach attack (and any other urgent matters) by 30 April 2026.
Questions and answers
How do I make a submission or request a hearing by the Royal Commission?
These details have not been released yet. To stay up to date with developments, subscribe to our newsletter.
If you have experienced antisemitism, it may be relevant to the Royal Commission’s inquiry. If you experienced antisemitism, Please report it to us if you have not already, so that we can ensure the Royal Commission has an accurate understanding of community experiences of antisemitism, including failures by organisations and people to combat antisemitism.
We will not provide your personal information without obtaining your consent or seeking necessary protections.
When and where will the Royal Commission hold hearings?
These details have not been released yet. To stay up to date with developments, subscribe to our newsletter.
Addressing misinformation
Antisemitism in Australia is at historically high levels
Some critics try to minimise the seriousness of antisemitism in Australia and claim that it has not increased. However, the data shows that it has.
ECAJ latest report on antisemitism (released in early December 2025, before the Bondi Beach attack) showed antisemitic incidents in Australia were at historically high levels, at almost five times the average annual number before October 7, 2023. View this and earlier reports on our antisemitism reports page.
A Royal Commission was needed
Some have claimed that a Royal Commission was not needed because the New South Wales Government had planned to establish a state-level Royal Commission (now cancelled) and the Government had established an review of intelligence and law enforcement agencies actions by Dennis Richardson (now part of the Royal Commission’s work).
Neither of these other responses had a broad enough scope at the federal level to adequeately look into the underlying causes of the attack.
Antisemitism has become more visible, organised, and normalised in Australian public life than ever before – contributing to the most deadly terrorist attack on Australian soil in history, the Bondi Beach terror attack.
A federal Royal Commission is the highest form of inquiry in Australia, with the independence and powers of inquiry at the federal level needed to look into this national problem.
The Royal Commission will not criminalise criticism of Israel
Some conspiracy theories are circulating that the Royal Commission will criminalise criticism of Israel.
The Royal Commission is looking into antisemitism and systemic failure to address it in Australia, not foreign policy. It has no power to criminalise or police opinions.
Some are claiming the Royal Commission will recommend the government adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism. However, the Australian government already adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism several years ago, in 2021.
The IHRA working definition of antisemitism is an educational tool, not a criminal code. It does not prevent criticism of Israel and explicitly states “criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country cannot be regarded as antisemitic”.
Neither the Government or the Jewish community run the Royal Commission
There are also conspiracy theories that Government or the Jewish community are running the Royal Commission and have pre-determined its outcome.
The Government established the Royal Commission, but it runs independently. As a Royal Commission, it is independent and has significant powers of its own.
It is not run by the Jewish community either, but Jewish community organisations and members will be able to make submissions, just like any member of the Australian public.
Read more about Royal Commissions on the Royal Commissions website.
The Jewish community is not getting special treatment
Some have claimed the Jewish community is getting special treatment. Royal Commissions are established to look into significant systemic issues, in the interests of all Australians. Many groups and sectors have been the subject of Royal Commissions in recent years.
