The Antisemitism and Social Cohesion Royal Commission has declined to call an Australian Federal Police (AFP) whistleblower to testify at its upcoming closed hearing, which is examining national security services and the Bondi Hanukkah massacre. The whistleblower had previously raised concerns about chronic understaffing within the AFP’s counterterrorism units.
The former AFP commander, who has knowledge of internal warnings about resource shortfalls, had submitted evidence to the commission in July. His submission highlighted that staffing vacancies in the Counter-Terrorism and Special Investigations (CTSI) division were around 25 percent, creating significant operational risks. The document, drafted collaboratively by heads of CTSI, categorized the understaffing as a “psychosocial hazard” and warned that these gaps could erode the AFP’s readiness to respond to terrorism over time.
Despite the significance of this testimony, the commission opted not to include the whistleblower in the secret hearing scheduled for this month, which will focus in part on counterterrorism resourcing. The hearing is set to be restricted to Commissioner Virginia Bell, legal counsel, and select witnesses to protect national security and avoid jeopardizing the criminal trial of alleged terrorist Naveed Akram.
The whistleblower’s concerns were initially brought to public attention following the release of an internal AFP report in May 2024, which detailed budgetary and staffing challenges within the agency. However, the AFP has repeatedly refused to release the full report, citing national security concerns. It argued that disclosing details such as staffing levels and budgetary information might enable individuals to hinder police operations. The agency also questioned the accuracy of the report; in Senate estimates hearings, Commissioner Krissy Barrett cited “inaccuracies” in the document, while Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt claimed it relied on flawed budget figures. The AFP denies that understaffing has undermined counterterrorism capabilities.
Opposition home affairs spokesman Senator Jonno Duniam has sought access to the report through freedom of information (FOI) laws but was denied on national security grounds. He has lodged an appeal with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner to secure its release. Senator Duniam criticized the AFP for both challenging the report’s validity and resisting transparency, emphasizing that national security exemptions should not be used to avoid accountability. He also urged the commission to call the whistleblower to provide evidence and allow his claims to be thoroughly examined.
The royal commission, established to investigate antisemitism and related social cohesion issues, began its inquiry following the October 7, 2023, shooting attack at a Hanukkah event in Bondi. The closed session dealing with counterterrorism resources aims to weigh sensitive evidence while safeguarding ongoing security operations and legal proceedings.