Ros Childs, Host: Let's get more on the Bondi attack. We're joined now by the Foreign Affairs Minister, Penny Wong in Adelaide. Minister, welcome.
Penny Wong, Foreign Minister: Good to be with you.
Childs: So, in the last hour we've heard from a very emotional Josh Frydenberg at Bondi Beach. He said, our Prime Minister, our government has allowed Australia to be radicalised on his watch. It's time for him, the Prime Minister, to accept personal responsibility for the death of the innocent people, including a 10 year old child. It's time our Prime Minister, Josh Frydenberg said, accepted accountability for what's happened here. What's your response to that?
Foreign Minister: Look, this was an attack, an antisemitic attack on Jewish Australians. An attack which was evil. An attack which has left so many Australians dead, mourned by their families. The Jewish Australian community is mourning and so too is the whole of the country. What I would say is that this is a time that we need to come together because this attack was inspired by an ideology that is seeking to divide us. A radical, extreme view which seeks to divide our country. And so the most important thing we can do as a country is to come together.
Childs: Bringing the question, though, back to Josh Frydenberg and those strong comments he made this afternoon. He put forward an action plan with eight points, including a call for a Royal Commission into antisemitism. Is that something the Federal Government would consider?
Foreign Minister: Well, I think the Treasurer has already responded to some extent. And he's made the point, of course, we will look at all suggestions about what more can be done. I'd make the point on antisemitism and I spoke on Sunday to Jillian Segal, the envoy, and she's made a number of public comments. We have taken action that she recommended, such as criminalising hate speech, and symbols including the Nazi salute. We've taken action, including my expulsion of the Iranian ambassador, when it was clear that Iran had connections to the attack on a synagogue here in Australia. But we all know more needs to be done and we have to work together, our Government, all levels of government, faith leaders, community leaders, to eradicate antisemitism, this hatred, from any part of the Australian community.
Childs: With respect, though, there is a sense in the community, a growing sense in the community that we've heard this before, that nothing has been done. When will we see or when will action be seen?
Foreign Minister: Well, I think I would first say action has been taken. You have heard the Prime Minister very clearly denounce antisemitism over the last two years. You've heard me and other Cabinet Ministers do the same. You've heard us talk about the importance of national unity. You've seen us bring forward legislation to criminalise hate speech, you've seen us expel the Iranian ambassador. But I absolutely accept that more needs to be done. We all know that, more needs to be done across the whole community. And then, of course, what we also need is this investigation into these two individuals who were prepared to kill Jewish Australians. That needs to be finalised. And as I said earlier, you might have heard the AFP Commissioner talk about the likelihood, or that this was inspired by ISIS. ISIS is a radical extremist ideology. We have seen it before. We've seen it in Iraq, in Syria, we've seen it here in Australia. It seeks to divide us, it seeks to create fear. It is driven by hatred and we need to stand together against it.
Childs: We'll get to the investigation into the perpetrators in a moment, if I may, but can we get back to the comments from Josh Frydenberg? He's called for a tightening of immigration and also suggesting banning protests, calling them incubators of hate. What is your response to those two suggested measures?
Foreign Minister: Look, we will look at all measures that can contribute to eradicating hatred and we will continue to engage with the Special Envoy and leaders in the community, the Jewish community, about the way forward on that.
Childs: And when will we see action on the tightening of gun laws?
Foreign Minister: Look, I think this is a very important part, one part of the response. It's not the only part, but I think a lot of Australians are asking the same question, which is, how can this person have six guns? And we obviously, after Port Arthur, with bipartisan support, there was the enacting of very stringent gun laws. But it's quite clear that we need to do more and that's why the Prime Minister put that on the agenda so quickly at the National Cabinet. We can do more to keep Australians safe and we will.
Childs: Okay. So, it's been revealed that the gunman went to the Philippines for military training. You spoke with your Philippines counterpart yesterday. Is there anything you can tell us about the investigation into the Bondi attack and the shooter's recent travel?
Foreign Minister: I'd refer you first, obviously, to the NSW Police public comments which confirmed that visit to the Philippines by the two attackers and confirmed that the details of that visit were part of the investigation. So, obviously I'm constrained given that, what I can say. What I would say to you and your viewers is that I did speak to my counterpart. We are working very closely. We have had a long history of security collaboration between Australia and the Filipino government and we will continue to do that. We are very appreciative of all of the engagement from the government and also their agencies.
Childs: The pair nevertheless slipped under the radar, though. Do you acknowledge that there's been a failure of intelligence and security services?
Foreign Minister: I've no doubt that the answers to those questions will form part of the response to this in the days and weeks to come. I think the first point, though, is we need the police investigation, which is obviously led by NSW, but is a joint investigation, given that this is a terrorist event, we need those investigations to be finalised.
Childs: And John Howard criticised you personally, Penny Wong, for not visiting parts of Israel most directly affected by Hamas' assault. What's your response to that criticism?
Foreign Minister: We have had Jewish Australians die and we are seeing Australians grieve. So, I'm not going to get into a political debate with the former Prime Minister.
Childs: On that point, he also criticised Australia's decision to recognise a Palestinian state. He called it premature, needlessly provocative. In hindsight, do you think that was the right decision?
Foreign Minister: We were motivated to recognise Palestine, as was the United Kingdom, as was Canada, as was France and many others. We were all motivated to make that step in order to contribute to peace in the Middle East. And now Australia is one of 150 plus countries around the world that recognise Palestine. That is our motivation and those are the facts.
Childs: Finally, Minister, was the attack on Sunday preventable.
Foreign Minister: We all wish and hope that this did not happen in our country. That this did not happen to the men, women and children, the fathers and daughters and sisters and mothers that we see. We all wish that this murderous, antisemitic attack had not happened. But what we can do now is grieve. But most importantly, to come together so that we make our community safer and stronger by ensuring we are united and that we do not allow this hatred, this antisemitism to exist in our Australian community.
Childs: Foreign Affairs Minister, Penny Wong. Thank you.
Foreign Minister: Thank you for your time.