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Yesterday, Sunday, 14th December, at approximately 6:40 p.m., my country forever changed.
Our Jewish community, out enjoying the first day of Hanukkah at our iconic Bondi Beach, experienced something no community should experience. A gunman took aim and shots were fired, killing and injuring many.
The death toll continues to rise.
As an Australian, I am gutted. This is not who we are, or what we do here, in my beautiful country.
I know there’s anger on an international scale about political decisions. About religion. There’s hate. There’s hate-fuelled violence. For some, there’s a need for vengeance. We watch it unfold in despair.
And many have found safety in Australia. We are a multicultural country and have welcomed people from all walks of life. We open our arms and offer them opportunities to share in our way of life. We hope for assimilation. Sadly, some cannot leave their angry need for revenge behind. Their political and religious ideals follow them. Some bring the violence with them. And with every culture, every race, every religion, there are good and bad people.
Two men. Two men with the inability to soothe their hatred, so indoctrinated and without discernment. Without logic. Without compassion. So emotional, with no ability to self-regulate. Father and son. These are the killers. These are the men we need to direct our rage toward. Not a whole race. Not a whole religion. Just two very disturbed men.
Violence begets violence. War begets war. Hate begets hate. There are no winners. There are never any winners, only innocence lost.
This was a family day. A warm summer day at our popular and loved beach. Innocent people out enjoying life. Surfing. Swimming. Picnicking. Exercising. Soaking in the glorious sunshine. And our Jewish community celebrating. Nobody fearing their safety. A terrorist attack being the furthest thing from anyone’s mind. Because this is Australia and this doesn’t happen here. Well, of course, until yesterday, and we weep. We support our Jewish community. We are in shock because the reality is our country is now forever changed.
We are now on the world stage for all the wrong reasons, and we are heartbroken.
Political Leaders from around the world have a lot to answer for. Politicians in my country have a lot to answer for. It’s time for a different approach and real change. We are sick and tired of the rhetoric. We don’t want to hear more empty words with no action. More “thoughts and prayers.” These “elected” people need to actually work and represent the people who pay them.
I’m fed up with violence and war being the solution to everything. I’m fed up with these elected representatives destroying everything they touch. And regardless of what side of the fence you sit on, it’s time to remove your political hat and replace it with a humane one. One of logic, compassion, and kindness. Human beings have proven time and time again how destructive we are. How controlling, greedy, and power-hungry we are. How stupid we are. How history seemingly teaches us nothing as we repeat the same mistakes over and over again.
Instead of focusing on a social media ban for under 16s, which will do nothing to protect our kids, how about focusing on the hatred and bullying by adults on social media that continue to incite violence? Our kids were certainly not protected yesterday. There is so much more our politicians could be doing instead of faffing around the outside of issues.
I’ve already seen this tragedy being used as a platform to change gun laws, and no offence to my American friends, but we do not want to become more like America, and I respectfully say to those advocating for guns to kindly f*ck off. That is not the answer. We do not want people running around with guns in some sort of Wild West shoot out. We want leaders who inspire positive change. We want laws to protect our people and judges who actually impose harsh penalties. We want the concerns of our communities heard. It’s been reported many times of the growing concerns and fears of the Jewish community and they all fell on deaf ears, because seemingly there are more important things for our politicians to be doing that add no value to our people or our country, and yesterday we paid the highest of prices. Yesterday, the fears of our Jewish community were realised.
Australia, the country down under, surrounded by golden sands and the infamous laid-back attitude, does not do terrorism. We have always felt a little removed with a now clear a false sense of security. Because the unimaginable just happened. We are no longer the Australia we used to be, and it’s been simmering for a long time. It’s been allowed to simmer for a long time, and we are angry because this should never, ever have happened.
Australians have woken up this morning still reeling. Innocent people murdered. A community terrorised. A society heartbroken. A country that will never be the same. And the world’s eyes upon us.
Eleven days out from Christmas. Gatherings are everywhere and there is a growing fear of “what next.” I always wonder how things could happen so swiftly during COVID-19. How action was taken so quickly and the world was locked down and things implemented, yet, we cannot seem to act with any sort of urgency with anything else. Our political leaders need to stop acting in their own self-interest and start acting in the best interest of their country. Stop worrying about your votes, and start worrying about your people.
I have always thought we were so fortunate here in Australia. My kids are 28 and 30, and this is their first real experience of something of this nature, and they are in shock. I am in shock. My daughter is scared for the future of my three-year-old granddaughter. Port Arthur our last mass shooting was in 1996 and was the catalyst for the change in our gun laws. The Lindt Cafe siege happened in 2014, where two innocent people were killed and lessons were learnt on how we, as a country, manage such things. And seven people were stabbed in Bondi in 2024, again something out of the ordinary for us. The difference is these crimes, whilst horrific, were the result of mental illness, and yesterday was pure hatred and terrorism. It was a targeted attack, and that is horrifying. We have also seen an increase in gang-related shootings. We need change and we need it now. Not platitudes. Not bullsh*t promises. Not ducking and weaving to avoid any accountability. Not blame. But action. Strong leadership and a strong message.
So, today we weep. We mourn the innocent lives cut short. We mourn the end of our security and feeling of safety. We mourn what Australia used to be. We mourn the loss of a time where people respected one another. We mourn that hatred is overtaking kindness and compassion. We fear what’s to come. And we are angry. Angry that it ever got to this. That in a country that used the thrive on a “fair go,” we watch in devastating shock, angry, violent men running around with guns, killing innocent people. We cry as we see the body bags mounting up and hear of another death.
The Jewish community is grieving. Families are grieving. Our country is grieving. The world is grieving. A collective grief as we begin to understand the true ramifications of this sickening massacre.
Today, we weep. This is not what we do here or who we are. My country will never be the same.
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