West Aussies Tim Hammond and Julie Bishop join names arguing for a Bondi royal commission

Perth barrister and former Labor MP Tim Hammond has added his voice to pleas for a royal commission into anti-Semitism and the Bondi attack, arguing a full and potentially painful investigation is necessary. “It’s really important that we do hard things,” he said. “Sunlight is the best disinfectant right?” Mr Hammond was a rising star within Labor in Opposition, once rated alongside Julie Bishop as most likely to become the next Prime Minister from WA, until he retired from federal politics in 2018. He’s one of 139 former judges and barristers who have signed an open letter, raising “deep concern” that anti-Semitism has been “normalised” in Australian institutions and that “these events culminated in the tragedy on Bondi Beach.” Mr Hammond said the Prime Minister’s review into intelligence agencies, and a NSW royal commission, do not go far enough to ensure independence, transparency or public authority. “We must use all means available to us to make sure that anti-Semitism isn’t allowed to proliferate our community, we just have to,” he said. “And I think part of that is a Royal Commission . . . there will always be powers available to a federal government and a federal royal commission that aren’t necessarily available to the States.” He wouldn’t weigh into the mounting pressure on Anthony Albanese, as one of a few ALP-linked names who have spoken out against the Prime Minister’s decision. And wouldn’t speculate about whether the Government is unable to backflip, after Mr Albanese dug in. “I respect our Prime Minister tremendously,” he said. Mr Hammond said anti-Semitism is a “scourge” and that the events that “led up to and became the catalyst for” the Bondi massacre must be put above politics. He said the 2013 royal commission into child sexual abuse was a powerful example of the change a royal commission can spark. “I think it’s really important at a time like this to make sure we stand up for what we believe in,” he said. “Politics is for the politicians. My view is purely a values based view in terms of applying the rule of law.” Ms Bishop, who quit politics nine months after Mr Hammond, has also spoken out in favour of a royal commission. The former Liberal Foreign Minister spoke to The West Australian at Cottesloe Beach and rejected claims that criticism of the Prime Minister’s response to the Bondi shooting has been politically motivated. “This is a national tragedy. It goes beyond politics,” she said. “This is about ensuring that Australians can be safe to enjoy the freedom that we value and spend time as a community at places like our iconic beaches, here we are at Cottesloe . . . and people feel safe, secure and free, but after Bondi, we need an understanding of what occurred and why.” Other West Australians backing calls for a royal commission include former High Court chief justice Robert French, University of Notre Dame chancellor and Howard Government cabinet secretary Paul McClintock and National RSL President and former WA Housing Minister Peter Tinley. “The failures are systemic, spanning governments and agencies,” Mr Tinley said. “Veterans who defend democracy and fight for liberty want to know why the systems we trusted to protect Australians at home repeatedly failed to connect obvious dots. “RSL Australia calls for leadership courageous enough to examine all contributing factors, not token changes, not political spin, but decisive steps that keep Australians safe. That means establishing a Royal Commission to independently review how these failures occurred and what must change.”