Former royal commissioner Neville Owen argues ‘compelling need’ for royal commission into Bondi massacre

A former royal commissioner and top WA judge who knows more than most about the process of holding a national public inquiry says there must be an independent probe into the Bondi massacre. Neville Owen, who completed a royal commission in 2003 into the collapse of the HIH Insurance group, has added his voice to the growing chorus of eminent Australians calling for a national royal commission into anti-Semitism and the terror attack at Bondi Beach. Writing in today’s The West Australian, Mr Owen warns that failure to call a royal commission into the anti-Semitic atrocities perpetrated at Bondi would “erode trust” in institutions. “And I believe it is not drawing too long a bow to say that the reputation of Parliament itself is at risk,” he wrote. “Unless our elected representatives are seen to take reasonable steps to advocate in favour of the public interest ... on such a momentous matter, their standing in the eyes of the community will suffer.” “The utter tragedy of 14 December and all that led up to it has been shattering and needs to be taken with a degree of seriousness that is almost off the spectrum. I have deep concerns for the future of our society unless these issues are addressed in a comprehensive way.” The NSW Government is poised to launch a state-based royal commission into the deadly attack that killed 15 people and Anthony Albanese has commissioned Dennis Richardson to examine whether security agencies missed any red flags. But the Prime Minister is strongly resisting growing calls for a Commonwealth royal commission to examine anti-Semitism in Australia and the motives underpinning the Islamic State-inspired shooting. Mr Owen said as someone with experience in the conduct of royal commissions, he believed there was a “compelling need” for the highest form of public inquiry. It was the only way to cover the broad range of issues that would need to be investigated if root causes “brewing for years” were to be identified. “Without such an inquiry it will be difficult to engender healing and a return to trust following these most grievous events,” he said. Mr Owen, whose 40-year career included 19 as a judge of the Supreme Court of WA, said he found arguments proffered against a national royal commission “unconvincing”. While it was correct to say there was a need for quick results, he said that could be addressed by requiring the commission to deliver an interim report. And to say it might present a forum for repetition of “abhorrent views” overlooked a royal commission’s broad powers to suppress publication of irrelevant or obnoxious material. “That the enunciated arguments are unconvincing may have contributed to speculation that the real reasons are more overtly political, including the protection of reputations,” he said. “No institution should place protection of reputations ahead of legitimate calls by victims and the broad community for answers.” Nine groups representing large and small businesses, banks, retailers, the resources and construction sectors, and manufacturers warned in a joint statement on Friday that the nation needed to learn and understand what had happened. Business leaders including James Packer, John Hancock, former union heavyweight Paul Howes and former Victorian Labor deputy premier James Merlino were among more than 130 individuals who signed a separate statement saying the national crisis required a national response. Nearly 140 lawyers and former judges have also made a joint call for a federal royal commission, as have several prominent national security figures, including former AFP boss Mick Keelty, former Army chief Peter Leahy and RSL national president Peter Tinley, crossbench and Coalition MPs, the Hindu Council of Australia, and the families of 17 people killed and wounded in the shooting.