As the nation reels from attacks in Bondi, a South West MP says “sorry” for Federal failure to prevent tragedy

While the nation reels from the horrific attacks in Bondi last month, a South West MP has apologised for their part in the Federal Government’s failure to prevent the tragedy. On what Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said should be “just another Monday” instead has seen Parliament convening early to debate new hate speech and gun laws after 15 lives were lost in the Bondi attacks on December 14. Addressing Parliament yesterday morning, the PM called the attacks in Bondi an “atrocity beyond comprehension”, but emphasised the Australian Jewish community was not alone. “While the massacre at Bondi was cruel and senseless, it was not random — Jewish Australians were the target,” he said. “As we offer our love, sympathy, and solidarity to everyone bearing the weight of trauma and loss, we make it clear to every Jewish Australian — you are not alone, all Australian’s stand with you. “Terrorists, inspired by ISIS, murdered our citizens on our soil. “The defining and enduring truth of that fateful Sunday is not fear or bloodshed, it is not the cowardly anti-Semitic evil of the terrorists nor the perversion of Islam they took as inspiration, it is the courage and kindness of people risking their own lives to save others.” Amid the hours of discussion, Member for Forrest Ben Small spoke to condemn the attacks, praise the heroes, and apologise for the Federal Government’s failure in preventing the attack. He said there were many fine words exchanged in the day’s discussion but one word missing from the Prime Minister’s address was the word “sorry”. Mr Small offered his apologies for being a member of Parliament which oversaw such an atrocity. “I am sorry, for being part of Parliament that was supposed to keep Australians safe and failed to do so,” he said. The South West MP said Parliament needed a cold moment of reflection to acknowledge the horrific attack in Bondi was not unthinkable. Mr Small went on to collate attacks in Bondi to the Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023. He said just 48 hours after the October 7 attacks, Australia saw a congregation of “hatred” in Sydney chanting death to a community in Australia. However, New South Wales Police, have stated the protests on October 9, 2023 were primarily peaceful, and there was “no evidence” such chants were made. Regardless, Mr Small said the attacks were less unthinkable after schools were graffitied with anti-Semitic symbols and synagogues were firebombed. “Indeed, our nation’s national threat level escalated in a formal communication from our intelligence and security apparatus, that Australia was expecting a terrorist attack within the next 12-months,” he said. “To each of the families, the friends, the neighbours, the colleagues and those community members who have lost a loved on in this attack, I am sorry for my part in that.” Mr Small said in any tragedy there were shining lights, and Bondi was no exception, with first the many stories of heroic people running towards the gunfire in “unimaginable valour”. “I think that is the best of what our country can be, and indeed what our country should be,” he said.