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Former Prime Minister John Howard has accused the Albanese government of failing to protect Jewish Australians following the Bondi terror attack, labeling the response to rising antisemitism as weak and “equivocal”. In a Sky News interview, Howard argued that leaders have used “weasel words” instead of forcefully denouncing hatred, asserting that Jewish communities feel abandoned by a government more focused on internal politics than moral clarity.
While acknowledging the government’s push for tighter gun laws, Howard dismissed the initiative as a “diversion” and a “pretext” to avoid addressing the ideological roots of the violence. He maintained that while his own 1996 gun reforms likely prevented a higher death toll in this attack, the current focus on firearms obscures the urgent need to combat the “evil” of antisemitism that has festered unchecked since October 2023.
Howard also praised the heroism of a Muslim bystander who confronted the gunman, using the act to reject sectarian division and highlight that the attack was driven by “pure hatred” rather than religious conflict. He emphasized that Australian unity depends on protecting all citizens equally, expressing deep shame that Jewish Australians no longer feel safe in their own country due to a “collective failure” of leadership.
The interview comes amid a broader national debate, with Jewish leaders expressing devastation but not surprise at the violence, citing two years of rising hostility. Meanwhile, the government has defended its intelligence agencies and pledged to review gun laws, while facing criticism from the Opposition for not acting sooner on recommendations to combat hate speech and extremism.
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