Australia weighs deploying army to protect Jewish sites after Bondi attack

Premier Chris Minns says New South Wales is deploying armed police for New Year’s Eve celebrations in Sydney

Australia is considering using the army to protect Jewish sites as it deploys armed police for Sydney’s New Year’s Eve celebrations following the Bondi terror attack.

New South Wales premier Chris Minns said on Sunday that he would not rule out seeking the Australian Defence Force support to protect Jewish sites in the state, describing it as a significant shift, but one that was under discussion in light of the attack.

“We are in discussions about it. I’m not prepared to front-run it because obviously that is a change for us,” the premier said. “But I am just flagging with everyone. I’m not going to rule anything out.”

Mr Minns said existing security arrangements had failed to prevent the Bondi attack, underscoring the need for a broader review.

“While there were police on site, it was clearly not enough to deal with the threat, as history has tragically shown,” he said, adding that a royal commission would examine intelligence sharing, policing responses, and protections for vulnerable communities.

As an immediate change, Mr Minns confirmed police would be deployed with long-arm firearms during Sydney’s New Year’s Eve celebrations.

“We haven’t normally seen on the streets of Sydney, long-armed firearms, but NSW Police will have them and that will be confronting for some people,” he said, arguing that visible presence was necessary to reassure the public after the attack.

Heavily armed police patrol as spectators arrive for the first day of the third Ashes cricket Test match between England and Australia (AFP via Getty)

The premier said his government was “actively” considering whether the Community Security Group, which provides security at Jewish events, should be armed.

“That’s a step that we haven’t taken in the past,” Mr Minns said, adding that authorities needed to demonstrate that there would be security in place capable of responding to serious threats.

The Bondi attack earlier this month saw a father and son fire on a crowd at a Jewish festival, killing 15 people and injuring at least 40. Police said the attack was an act of religiously motivated extremism “aligned with Islamic State”.

The father was shot dead at the scene by officers while the son was arrested and later remanded in custody on 59 charges, including one count of committing a terrorist act. Investigators were examining how the duo were able to carry out the daylight attack despite existing security measures at the event.

In the wake of the attack, Mr Minns announced a New South Wales royal commission, saying it would examine potential intelligence failures, police resourcing and whether warnings about security risks were adequately assessed ahead of the event.

A family reacts near a floral memorial for victims of the Bondi attack in Sydney (AP)

Security was already heightened during a vigil held last Sunday to mark a week since the attack, which coincided with the final night of Hanukkah. Police deployed officers carrying long-arm firearms and positioned snipers on rooftops overlooking Bondi.

Asked about concerns that heavily armed policing could unsettle the public, Mr Minns said many residents supported a stronger visible security presence.

“I have spoken to a lot of parents and they would feel far more comfortable if there was a major police presence,” the premier said. Such a security presence would include “the firepower that is required to confront some evil terrorists on a bridge in Bondi if those circumstances were to repeat”.