The Bondi Beach attacks that killed fifteen people have led to concerns. The attacks are rendered the most dangerous attacks in Australia in decades. But the attacks on Bondi Beach — situated in Sidney— on December 14, 2025 are not the only such attacks in Australia. As per the reports of multiple sources including the BBC and CNN, terror attacks were carried out many times in the past, leading to the deaths of many. The Lindt Cafe Siege in 2014, which led to two deaths, and the Port Aurther Massacre in Tasmania in 1996, which killed at least 34 people, are two other notable terror attacks in Australia. But how much such attacks will end in Australia remains uncertain.
Terrorist attacks in Australia are driven by domestic and international reasons that are often difficult to address successfully. Individuals are motivated by ideological, political, or religious causes. Groups affiliated with offshore actors that inspire lone-actor and low-capability attacks are an enduring threat of terror attacks. Nationalist, racist, anti-government, and anti-authority ideologies or beliefs work in such attacks. The latest attack on the people in Bondi Beach who had gathered to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah was carried out by two gunmen motivated by anti-semitism, which has increased across the world after the beginning of the Gaza War, and the radical ideology of the Islamic State. A degrading security level is also one of the reasons for such attacks in Australia.
Credit: https://pixabay.com/.
But — optimistically saying — the successive governments of Australia have taken an evolving set of counter-terrorism measures that are helpful in reducing the chance of such attacks. Australia’s enactment of various laws especially since 2001 (including the Security Legislation Amendment (Terrorism) Act 2002) that focus on prevention, intelligence, and legislative power to reduce terror attacks, intensive surveillance system and information sharing with other countries (such as the Five Eyes intelligence alliance that consists of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) have largely been effective in preventing large-scale terror attacks. But there are various flaws in the measures that provide the scope of such attacks, especially the evolving nature of attacks by lone actors.
There are intelligence-sharing gaps especially on terror attacks by lone attackers and attacks at crowded places and the anti-terrorist approach focuses heavily on reactive and punitive measures and early disruptions but does not place enough emphasis on proactive strategies to prevent radicalization and violent extremism from occurring in the first place and address their causes. Other notable flaws include the challenges posed by rapidly evolving threats online in Australia, where there is an increase in the erosion of social cohesion. Consequently, future terror attacks in Australia will not be surprising altogether.
Though Australia faces a relatively low number of terror attacks, measures need to be taken address such attacks and their causes. But it is vital to improve security conditions in Australia and make law enforcement-based measures more effective. Pertinently saying, the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) has noted a degrading remarkable security environment both globally and locally, raising the national threat level to “probable” in August 2024. This reflects an increase in extremism and radicalization driven partly by international conflicts — which are beyond the scope of addressing by Australia alone.
But law enforcement-based measures need to put emphasis on addressing attacks by lone attackers and reduce their chance. In addition to reactive and law enforcement-based measures, efforts are needed to actively prevent such occurrences and emphasis needs to be taken to reduce the chance of radicalization. Improved tolerance to faiths and increased community engagement programs can be helpful. But addressing the violations of human rights, which occur in laws enforcement -based measures, is also crucial.
Amir M Sayem
Chief Editor
Dhaka Opinion Magazine
