Former Liberal treasurer Josh Frydenberg has delivered one of the most blistering attacks on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s leadership, demanding he accept personal responsibility for the deaths of 15 innocent people in Sunday’s Bondi Beach terror attack.
Speaking through tears at a memorial site in Bondi on Wednesday afternoon, Frydenberg accused the government of abandoning Australia’s Jewish community and allowing antisemitism to “radicalise” the nation under Albanese’s watch.
The emotional speech marks a dramatic escalation in political pressure on the Prime Minister following the deadliest terror attack on Australian soil since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.
“Accept Personal Responsibility” for the Deaths
Frydenberg fought back tears as he laid flowers at the makeshift memorial where hundreds had gathered to mourn victims of Sunday’s shooting.
His message was direct and uncompromising.
“Our governments have failed every Australian when it comes to fighting hate and antisemitism,” Frydenberg told the crowd. “Our Prime Minister, our Government, has allowed Australia to be radicalised on his watch.”
He continued: “It is time for him to accept personal responsibility for the death of the innocent people, including a 10-year-old child.”
The former treasurer, who lost family members in the Holocaust, described the massacre as “the greatest stain on this nation” and warned that without urgent action, Australia would face another terrorist attack.
Former Treasurer @JoshFrydenberg calling out the Prime Minister. pic.twitter.com/iHV8IjqzSf
— Sharri Markson (@SharriMarkson) December 17, 2025
The Attack That Shocked a Nation
On Sunday, December 14, 2025, two gunmen opened fire on families celebrating the first day of Hanukkah at Bondi Beach’s Chanukah by the Sea event.
The attack killed 15 people, including 10-year-old Matilda, 87-year-old Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman, and Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who helped organise the community gathering.
More than 40 people were injured, with several remaining in critical condition across Sydney hospitals as of Wednesday evening.
Police identified the attackers as father and son Sajid Akram, 50, and Naveed Akram, 24. The elder Akram was shot dead at the scene by responding officers, while his son remains hospitalised under police guard.
Authorities confirmed the attack was motivated by Islamic State ideology. Police found two homemade ISIS flags in a vehicle registered to the younger suspect, along with improvised explosive devices.
The suspects had travelled to the Philippines in November 2025, with investigators now examining their activities during that trip and potential links to terrorist networks.
“Hollow Words” and Mounting Criticism
Frydenberg’s criticism of Albanese echoes growing frustration from Australia’s Jewish community and conservative politicians who argue the government failed to act on clear warning signs.
In Monday interviews, Frydenberg had already questioned the Prime Minister’s earlier pledge that he would “not let antisemitism get a foothold” in Australia.
“What a failure that has been,” he said on Sky News, describing Albanese’s response as offering only “hollow words.”
The former treasurer pointed to a July 2025 report from Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, Jillian Segal, which contained sweeping recommendations but has yet to be fully implemented.
“It has sat on his desk,” Frydenberg said. “If that is not a metaphor for the failure of government to act with the urgency that we need, I don’t know what is.”
Political Firestorm Intensifies
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has seized on the attack to launch a sustained assault on Labor’s handling of national security.
“There is palpable anger because antisemitism in Australia has been left to fester,” Ley told reporters on Monday. “We’ve seen a clear failure to keep Jewish Australians safe.”
She offered to reconvene parliament immediately to pass legislation implementing the antisemitism report’s recommendations, a move that would require government cooperation.
Many Australians have expressed their anger that antisemitism has been allowed to take hold in this country. There has been a clear failure of leadership to keep Australians safe, particularly members of the Jewish community.
For two years, criminal acts have been carried out… pic.twitter.com/cybLrO1tVj
— Sussan Ley (@sussanley) December 16, 2025
Even former Prime Minister John Howard weighed in Tuesday, adding his voice to those criticising the government’s response to rising antisemitism since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke was heckled by mourners when he visited a vigil at Bondi Beach on Monday night, with some accusing the Prime Minister of having “blood on his hands.”
Albanese Defends Government Response
The Prime Minister has pushed back against criticism, insisting his government has taken the threat seriously.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday morning, Albanese revealed he met overnight with antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal to discuss further measures.
“We want to stamp out and eradicate antisemitism. We want to also stamp out the evil ideology of what would appear to be, from the investigators, an ISIS-inspired attack,” Albanese said.
He outlined actions already taken, including:
- Criminalising hate speech and doxxing
- Banning hate symbols including the Nazi salute
- Providing millions of dollars to Jewish museums and education centres
- Developing education programs in schools
- Creating a national student ombudsman
However, Albanese acknowledged the difficulty of legislating against extremism and said the Segal report would be “continually worked on” rather than treated as a “set and forget” document.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong also committed to greater action, telling ABC Radio: “We all understand we need to do more.”
The Rising Tide of Antisemitism
The Bondi attack represents the tragic culmination of a sharp increase in antisemitic incidents across Australia since October 7, 2023.
According to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, there were 1,654 anti-Jewish incidents between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025.
That figure is nearly five times the average annual number before the Israel-Hamas war began.
Recent attacks include:
- October 2024: Two masked men torched Lewis’ Continental Kitchen in Bondi after dousing it with accelerant
- November 2024: Assailants sprayed anti-Israel graffiti and set vehicles alight in Woollahra, damaging more than 10 cars
- December 2024: The Adass Israel Synagogue in Ripponlea, Victoria, was firebombed in what police described as a probable terrorist attack
Australia’s Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) raised the national terrorism threat level from “possible” to “probable” in August 2024, citing tensions related to the Gaza war as a contributing factor.
Community in Mourning
As funerals began for victims this week, Australia’s Jewish community grapples with profound grief and questions about their place in the nation.
Rabbi Eli Schlanger’s funeral drew hundreds of mourners to his home synagogue in Bondi on Wednesday.
Ten-year-old Matilda’s family shared that they chose her name “because it was the most Australian name they knew,” according to Frydenberg’s speech.
Alex Kleytman died shielding his wife Larisa from gunfire. The 87-year-old had survived the Holocaust with his mother and younger brother in Siberia before immigrating to Australia from Ukraine nearly 60 years ago.
French national Dan Elkayam, who played for Rockdale Ilinden Football Club, was among those killed. France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot described his death as “a despicable act” and “yet another tragic manifestation of a revolting surge of antisemitic hatred.”
People are breaking down in tears at Bondi as they lay flowers for the victims of the deadliest terrorist attack in Australian history.
A targeted assault against the Jewish community that’s left at least 16 people dead. pic.twitter.com/0xgBHy3VWt
— Nathan Livingstone (MilkBarTV) (@TheMilkBarTV) December 15, 2025
Hero Praised Amid Tragedy
One bright spot emerged from the horror: Syrian refugee Ahmed al-Ahmed wrestled a gun from one of the alleged attackers despite being shot himself.
NSW Premier Chris Minns described him as a “genuine Australian hero,” while Albanese visited him in hospital to personally thank him for his courage.
Al-Ahmed’s father told reporters his family’s experience during Syria’s civil war prompted his son to act.
New South Wales to Recall Parliament
NSW Premier Chris Minns announced Wednesday that state parliament would be recalled on December 22 and 23 to pass urgent firearms legislation.
The proposed measures include:
- Capping the number of firearms individuals can own
- Reclassifying straight shotguns
- Potentially prohibiting belt-fed magazines
- Removing appeal mechanisms for withdrawn licences
Albanese has also proposed tighter federal gun laws, though Australia already maintains some of the world’s strictest firearm regulations following the 1996 Port Arthur reforms.
What Happens Next
With the death toll at 16 (including one gunman), more than 20 people remain hospitalised, several in critical condition.
The investigation continues into the suspects’ movements, particularly their November trip to the Philippines and any connections to extremist networks.
Political pressure on Albanese shows no signs of abating, with Coalition MPs maintaining their attack despite the government being in full control following Labor’s May 2025 election victory.
Frydenberg has called for an urgent Royal Commission into antisemitism in Australia, a proposal that would require government approval.
The Jewish community, meanwhile, faces difficult questions about whether they can safely celebrate their faith in public spaces.
As one community leader told reporters: “The net effect has essentially been that the Jews are asking, ‘Do we have a place here anymore?'”
Also Read: Dashcam Footage Shows Couple Confronting Bondi Beach Gunman Before Their Deaths
Broader Implications
The Bondi terror attacks have reopened debates about Australia’s immigration policies, given that the elder suspect arrived on a student visa in 1998.
Conservative voices within the Liberal Party are pushing for renewed focus on migration policies and visa screening procedures.
The attack has also sparked international condemnation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Australia of “doing nothing to stop the spread of antisemitism,” though Albanese has defended his government’s record.
New Zealand deployed armed police to guard Jewish sites following the attack, while US President Donald Trump and other world leaders issued statements of support.
As Australia grapples with its worst mass shooting in nearly 30 years, the political battle over who bears responsibility looks set to dominate headlines for weeks to come.
For Josh Frydenberg and many in Australia’s Jewish community, the answer is clear: the government’s failure to act decisively on antisemitism allowed Sunday’s massacre to happen.
For Anthony Albanese, the challenge now is convincing Australians his government will do enough to prevent it from happening again.
