Category: NSW News

The NSW Government will move to restrict the authorisation of public assemblies in designated areas following a terrorist incident, to protect the community, prevent intimidation and allow police to focus on keeping people safe.

The reforms follow the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach last week, which claimed the lives of 15 innocent people, and build on the powers already activated under NSW’s counter-terrorism laws.

When a terrorist incident is formally declared under the Terrorism (Police Powers) Act 2002, the Police Commissioner or Deputy Police Commissioner, with the agreement of the Minister for Police, will be able to declare specific areas where public assemblies are restricted for a limited period (a Public Assembly Restriction Declaration).

These powers are designed to ensure that members of the community are not intimidated or fear for their safety, and to minimise risks to community safety, in the immediate aftermath of an attack.

A declaration may be made in specified areas where police determine public gatherings may be likely to cause a reasonable person to fear harassment, intimidation or violence or put community safety at risk, including the safety of those attending a gathering.

Once a declaration is made:

• No public assemblies in the designated area will be able to be authorised, including by a court.
• Police will have access to existing powers to move people on where their behaviour or presence causes harassment or intimidation or obstructs traffic.

A strong signal will be sent to the community that assembling in public spaces in a designated area is unsafe and discouraged.

These measures are targeted. A declaration will last for 14 days and can be extended by further periods of 14 days, for up to three months.

Importantly, the powers are not designed to stop quiet reflection, prayer or peaceful gatherings that are not likely to cause fear or safety concerns. The restrictions and powers also do not apply to industrial action and associated assemblies.

Police move-on powers will only apply where behaviour causes harassment or intimidation or obstructs traffic.

Building on strong action against hate

The new measures sit alongside a suite of laws already passed by the NSW Government to confront rising hate and antisemitism, including:

• A tough new offence for inciting racial hatred;
• New protections for places of worship, including strong penalties and increased powers for police; and
• Laws banning the public display of Nazi symbols on or near synagogues, Jewish schools or the Sydney Jewish Museum.
• The Government will continue working with police, community leaders and legal experts to ensure the reforms are effective, lawful and focused on keeping people safe.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“This was a targeted terrorist attack that has shaken our state and devastated the Jewish community. The scale of harm demands a response that is decisive, sustained and unequivocal.

“Our first responsibility as a government is to protect people.

“There is a time for debate and protest in a democracy – but there is also a time for calm, care and unity. After an act of terror, public safety must come first.

“These reforms are about protecting people at a time of real vulnerability. They are about ensuring grief is respected, fear is not weaponised, and police can focus on keeping communities safe.

“These powers are proportionate. They are not about suppressing views – they are about preventing intimidation, escalation and violence.”

Attorney General Michael Daley said:

“We are protecting social cohesion by limiting public assemblies which risk inflaming community tensions following a terrorist attack.

“There are clear risks associated with large gatherings after the awful events at Bondi, and we do not want police resources unnecessarily diverted from the investigation to manage public assemblies.

“This is a targeted, time-limited measure which will give NSW Police the tools they need to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the community.”

Today’s Half-Yearly Review confirms the NSW economy is continuing to strengthen, with the budget remaining on track to return to surplus in 2027-28.

NSW Treasury’s latest forecasts show:

• The state is expected to post a $1.3 billion surplus in 2027-28, $200 million more than projected at the 2025-26 Budget.
• Gross debt is projected to be $177.2 billion by June 2026, $1.5 billion lower than projected at the Budget.
• Average expense growth is projected to be 2.6 per cent per annum over the forward estimates, down from the 6.5 per cent average expense growth each year between 2011-12 and 2022-23.
• Real wages remain on track to grow each year over the forward estimates, despite inflationary pressures lingering in the Australian economy.

The Review reflects the Minns Labor Government’s disciplined strategy to turn around the large deficit it inherited in 2023. Since then the Government has:

1. Eliminated wasteful spending by implementing the most comprehensive expenditure review in decades.
2. Slashed interest expenses by $500 million per annum after cutting gross debt by $11 billion, compared to the Pre-Election Budget Update.
3. Cut spending on consultants and senior executives, using the savings to rebuild the state’s essential services.
4. Repaired the state’s broken insurance schemes by overhauling workers compensation and insourcing police death and disability protection.
5. Driven higher investment returns by creating OneFund, a framework which overhauls the state’s fund management strategy.

Today’s Review books the spending decisions the Government has taken since the 2025-26 Budget.

It includes the cost of offering ongoing cost-of-living relief to NSW motorists by making the $60 toll cap permanent, as well as the costs of terminating the Liberals’ disastrous privatisation of the Northern Beaches Hospital and returning it to public ownership.

The Half-Yearly Review is available here

NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said:

“NSW has had a horrible week. The state’s focus must remain on healing.

“Today’s Half-Yearly Review updates markets and the public about the state of the Government’s finances. It reports a slight improvement in the budget results, and accounts for our

decisions to make the toll cap permanent and return the Northern Beaches Hospital to public ownership.”

Finance Minister Courtney Houssos said:

“Our thoughts remain with everyone affected by the horrific events of the past week.

“The budget forecasts are steady and consistent with the June Budget. It demonstrates the Government’s careful and disciplined approach to managing the public’s money.”

The NSW Opposition will next week move to re-introduce legislation designed to strengthen community safety, protect social cohesion and reinforce public confidence in the rule of law, and is calling on the Minns Labor Government to reconsider its current position and support their urgent passage through the Parliament. 

Leader of the Opposition Kellie Sloane said the horrific terrorist attack underscored the need for proportionate, responsible action. 

“Sunday’s attack was a profound shock to our State. It was an attack on innocent people in a public place, on the Jewish community, and on the values that bind NSW together,” Ms Sloane said. 

“It has forced us to confront a hard truth, when hatred is allowed to grow unchecked, the consequences are real, immediate and devastating.” 

“At a time of heightened social tension and rising antisemitism, bipartisan leadership on community safety is not optional, it is essential.” 

“The NSW Opposition stands ready to act constructively and responsibly. That is why we will re-introduce these measures and urge the Government to use the recall of Parliament to support their urgent passage.” 

The objectives of the Bills: 

Crimes Amendment (Display of Nazi and Terrorist Symbols) Bill 2025 

• Addresses a clear gap in current NSW law by extending existing offences beyond Nazi symbols to cover a broader range of extremist and terrorist symbols. 
• Expands section 93ZA to include terrorist symbols, including symbols that a reasonable person would recognise as a terrorist symbol, which are not comprehensively captured under existing federal law. 
• Targets the use of symbols that are deployed to intimidate communities, glorify violence and normalise extremist ideologies. 
• Strengthens penalties to reflect the seriousness of the conduct, including higher 5 year maximum penalties, District not Local Court jurisdiction and the introduction of a standard 1.5 year imprisonment non-parole period. 
• Sends a clear and unambiguous deterrent message that extremist hate, intimidation and glorification of terrorism have no place in New South Wales. 

Summary Offences Amendment (Public Assemblies) Bill 2025 

• Recalibrates the regulatory framework for public assemblies to better balance the right to protest with public order and the rights of the broader community. 
• Requires decision-makers to consider public amenity and social cohesion, economic impact, disruption to the community and the public cost associated with proposed protests. 
• Confers clearer powers on police and courts to assess and weigh these factors when determining whether a proposed assembly should proceed. 
• Is designed to operate consistently with the implied freedom of political communication. 
• Introduces measures to address repeat protests, the deliberate shielding of identity and the recovery of policing costs to deter intentional disruption and ensure accountability. 
• Preserves the right to lawful protest while discouraging conduct that imposes unreasonable costs or disruption on the wider community. 

Shadow Attorney General, Alister Henskens said the package was targeted and proportionate to risks that are no longer theoretical. 

“NSW should confront hatred early, enforce its laws firmly, and stand united in defence of our shared values,” Mr Henskens said. 

“Previously the Government have voted against these sensible measures. Now is an opportunity for the Parliament to show bi-partisan support to strengthen community safety and social cohesion in NSW.” 

The NSW Greens have grave concerns about proposed new laws to allow police to refuse all peaceful assemblies during undefined periods of terrorism designations.

Greens MP and Spokesperson for Justice Sue Higginson said:

“In the aftermath of the horrific antisemitic Bondi Beach mass shooting, Australians have been called upon to unify, to wrap our arms around the Jewish community, and to check in on one another, and we must all heed those calls,”

“We have not been called upon to divide communities by infringing upon civil liberties. Peaceful assembly is a fundamental civil liberty and now is not the time to restrict our civil liberties. The Government should not do this,”

“If the Government is hell bent on doing this they must at the very least make such powers temporary, otherwise this move will be read in history as disingenuous opportunism,”

“There is such an important distinction to make between peaceful and nonviolent protests for peace, and gatherings with the express intention of hate speech, hate preaching, or violence. Police have so many tools at their disposal to address gatherings where hate speech may occur, and they should use those tools,”

“Now is the time for unity in the fight against all forms of hate and radicalisation. We need to make laws and take action based on evidence, reason and need,”

“Together with the Greens, the NSW Government has a chance to pass world-leading gun reform which will remove guns from extremists who would seek to harm the innocent. I think it’s such a shame to depart from that by assigning blame to peaceful protests in this moment,”

“I hold serious concerns that controversial changes to protest laws are counter-productive to the aims of genuine social cohesion right now. These laws, like other anti-protest laws before them, seem to me like they will face significant headwinds in the Courts due to their potential to infringe on our freedom of political communication within the Constitution,”

“Our protest laws are already some of the most restrictive in the world. Form 1 applications can be refused on the grounds of genuine risks to public safety,”

“There are no planned demonstrations right now, in fact many events including events calling for peace in Gaza have been postponed out of respect. I think the Premier’s assumption that a disrespectful demonstration could occur is out of step with the outpouring of respect, love and compassion we have seen from the people of New South Wales,”

“We are entirely committed to tackling antisemitism and racism wherever it occurs, limiting peaceful assembly is not how we do this,”

“For most of this year in the NSW Parliament the Greens have been opposing efforts to water down gun laws and calling for more investment in programs to counter violent extremism,”

“We have so much evidence about what solutions exist to tackle hate speech and violence and we should all be coming together to enact those solutions. It is such a shame to see a divisive response in these circumstances.”

City of Newcastle has appointed a new operator to run Beresfield Golf Course, with the popular Council-owned facility set to welcome back players on 14 January.

One of Australia’s leading leisure service providers, Clublinks Management, has big plans for the future of the site after signing a 15-year lease with City of Newcastle, including the addition of a multi-bay driving range, course improvements and Newcastle’s first dedicated courts for ‘padel’, a sport incorporating elements of tennis and squash, where players use paddles.

The course has been closed since 1 September following the end of the previous operator’s lease, however City of Newcastle used this time to ensure it would be in pristine condition when golfers returned.

Key upgrades included the replacement of failed bridges, and the repair and maintenance of on-course buildings and facilities, while Hunter Water also replaced the course’s major sewer main.

City of Newcastle Executive Director Corporate Services David Clarke said the appointment of Clublinks on a long-term lease will ensure Beresfield Golf Course remains a sustainable and successful community asset.

“We’ve selected the ideal operator that can leverage strong local support for our facility,” Mr Clarke said.

“Clublinks manages a range of courses such as Moore Park and Chatswood in Sydney, Bundoora Park and Centenary Park in Victoria, and Collier Park and Links Kennedy Bay in Western Australia.

“Those facilities are a mix of membership-based and public courses, all with an emphasis on a customer-first approach.

“Our recent upgrades to the course will provide a solid foundation for the long-term success of the facility under this new management, while also increasing safety for players and staff.

“We look forward to seeing the exciting improvements Clublinks is proposing for this much-loved community facility.”

CEO Anthony Lawrence said Clublinks is thrilled to partner with City of Newcastle to help revitalise Beresfield Golf Course.

“Our vision is simple – create a vibrant, inclusive space where everyone can play, laugh, and connect,” Mr Lawrence said.

“Under Clublinks’ management, Beresfield Golf Course will undergo exciting enhancements designed to make every visit unforgettable.

“Expect improved facilities, expanded programs, and innovative experiences focused on accessibility, sustainability, and outstanding service.”

In the aftermath of the Bondi terrorist attack, the clear message from the Jewish community leaders has been that we need unambiguous support for our Jewish community.

Today the Minns Labor Government is asking faith and community leaders from around the state to pledge their support to the Jewish community.

This is a call to action for our faith and community leaders; we need everyone to meet words with action. The NSW Government is currently undertaking a whole-of-government response to ensure our Jewish community are supported.

The statement reads:

“In the wake of the unspeakable attack on our Jewish community at Bondi Beach, we come together across cultural, linguistic and religious differences to make a unified pledge:

• We collectively mourn for victims and their families and pledge our support and solidarity for the Jewish community in NSW.
• We pledge to stand up and stand united against antisemitism, racism and hate and to support all victims of racism, hate and religious intolerance.
• We pledge to protect and promote the rights and responsibilities of all the people of NSW in a cohesive and multicultural society.
• We pledge to work in unity across cultural, linguistic and religious differences to uphold our democratic values and freedoms.
• We are stronger together.”

To sign the pledge, please visit: Support pledge – Bondi attack 

Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper said:

“In the wake of this horrific attack, it is more important than ever that the Jewish community in NSW knows they do not stand alone.

“Every community leader. Every faith leader. Must be unambiguous in their support of our Jewish community.

“It will take everyone working together to ensure we can properly address the insidious affliction that is antisemitism.”

President of the Jewish Board of Deputies David Ossip said:

“The trauma of the Bondi terrorist attack on the Jewish community is simply incalculable. The hurt and the loss are profound.

“Now more than ever, we need everyone to come together. Now is a time for unity. Now is a time for us to spread light and to unequivocally call for an end to antisemitism. Our Jewish community needs your support.

“Please show that we are stronger together. Let’s work together to bring about a return to the Australia we love.”

Prime Minister, Governor Beazley, Archbishop Fisher, Rabbi Elton, members of the diplomatic corps, including Ambassador Maimon, religious leaders, in particular, president of the Jewish Board of Deputies, David Ossip.

We were meant to gather here tonight to celebrate Christmas, a season that speaks to Christians of joy, of hope and of light entering the world.

Unfortunately and instead, we come together here at the beautiful St Mary’s Cathedral in a different spirit.

United in grief but also in love, to stand alongside the Jewish community of New South Wales and to say clearly and without hesitation that you are not alone.

In the Catholic tradition, places like this cathedral exist not just for celebrations, but for moments like this, moments when a community gathers for one another.

To comfort each other, to bear grief together and to affirm the dignity of every human life.

Tonight, that’s exactly what we’re doing. Yesterday, many of us were deeply moved by the words of Rabbi Eli Feldman, who spoke so beautifully about his dear friend, Rabbi Eli Schlanger.

The two Elis had studied together as young men, they’d both become rabbis, and Schlanger was like a brother to Feldman.

Eli Schlanger was one of those optimistic people who would celebrate Chanukah by dancing down the street, because he said the best way of fighting antisemitism was to dance.

On Sunday night, Rabbi Schlanger was murdered. He was murdered on Bondi Beach for the simple reason that he was a member of the Jewish community.

If Eli Feldman had responded to this evil act with spite or with hatred, I think there’d be a general understanding from most Australians.

But instead, on television, in front of everybody, he said, “No matter the colour of your skin or what you believe, we are all created in God’s image, every single human being is created in God’s image. Let us love each other. Let us care about each other.”

If there is anything this moment asks of us, it is reflection on the extraordinary grace shown by Rabbi Feldman and so many religious leaders of the Jewish faith, who we call our neighbours and our friends.

Reflect on their values, the values that bind us together as a society.

For those of us who are not Jewish, moments like this remind us of the deep responsibility that we have to listen, to learn and to stand alongside a community whose history reflects resilience, courage and faith, but also persecution.

Here in Australia, we believe and we must continue to prove that people have a fundamental right to be able to live openly, practice their faith freely and feel safe doing it.

That promise matters, and it’s one we recommit to tonight. The purpose of this attack was to frighten us and to isolate us. It was designed to divide Australian against Australian.

But standing here together across faiths and backgrounds, it’s clear that it will fail. It will fail because of the strength of the Jewish people.

It will fail because of the strength of Australians, a strength shaped by our shared values, our respect for faith and an unbreakable commitment to one another, whether we know each other or not.

The truth is, our instinct as Australians, is to stand by our mates, to look after one another and to leave no one behind.

And when that instinct is tested, it reveals itself not in speeches, but in brave and often selfless acts.

In recent days, we’ve seen life savers run barefoot towards danger. Long lines form around blood banks across the country, quiet acts of humanity that speak far louder than any words.

As we approach Christmas, a season that calls Christians to joy and peace, we do so with heavy hearts this year, but I hope not without hope.

Now, I think it would be reasonable that hope could seem a distant prospect after the last few days.

Some may even call a return to happiness and unity a miracle. And the truth is, we’ve got every reason for despair at the moment.

But perhaps we can take some encouragement and comfort from our Jewish friends. As David Ben Gurion, the first prime minister of Israel, said “In the Middle East, in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.”

So don’t give up on hope. Rabbi Sacks once said, “To be a Jew is to be an agent of hope in a world serially threatened by despair. Ours is a sustained struggle against the world that is, in the name of the world that could be, should be, but is not yet.”

Rabbi Eli Schlanger was buried today. He left a message just weeks ago for all of us, not knowing that it would sustain us after his passing, and we’ve been ripped apart.

He said, “May we pray for peace within our hearts and peace all over the world.”

Today, the Albanese and Minns Governments have announced an immediate support package to assist victims, their families, and small businesses impacted by the Bondi terror attack.

The package has been jointly funded by the Albanese and Minns Governments, with most elements to be funded under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), which have been activated in the wake of this attack. 

The package delivers immediate financial assistance, expanded victim support services and targeted business help, recognising the profound emotional, social and economic toll of the attack.

A community hub will be open at North Bondi RSL, with the NSW Reconstruction Authority, NSW Health, Service NSW, Service NSW Business Concierge, Disaster Recovery Chaplaincy Network, Legal Aid and Lifeline on hand to provide practical advice and support.

The hub will operate from tomorrow, Friday 19 December to Tuesday 23 December, between 10am and 4pm.
 
The package includes:
 
Victims and family support

• $2 million for Jewish community organisations to support victims’ families, including $1 million for Jewish House to establish a Victim Support Fund to deliver timely, culturally sensitive assistance to the Jewish Community.
• $1 million for Legal Aid and Disaster Response Legal Services to provide legal services to support the recovery of communities.
• Enhancements to NSW’s existing victim support scheme, including increased financial support for injured victims and their immediate families, funeral and burial costs for victims and support for the repatriation of remains.
• $1 million for local Jewish organisations to provide community mental health triage.
• $3.6 million for six place-based recovery officers to undertake case coordination and outreach for affected individuals and families.

Business and community support

• Up to $25,000 for impacted small businesses in the immediate vicinity and those who show exceptional circumstances. Registrations commence on Friday, December 19, with grants processed by early next week.
• $1.5 million for additional security at Jewish community locations.
• $1 million for Waverley Council to assist with clean-up requirements at Bondi Beach, and for community cohesion events.
• $2.8 million to provide up to eight coordinators to undertake community engagement, support the local community and provide capacity building. The funding includes $1 million for a grant program delivered through a partnership between Multicultural NSW and the Jewish Board of Deputies to support community organisations.

Impacted businesses will be able to register for support from Friday, with applications processed from early next week. They can do this by attending the Community Hub or contacting Service NSW on 13 77 88 to organise a meeting with a Business Concierge member.  
 
Mental health support
 
A mental health disaster response has been initiated, with mental health clinicians working on the ground in Bondi and Coogee.

These mobile clinicians will be onsite wearing hi-vis NSW Health vests from 8am to 8pm for the next several weeks

NSW Health has also increased staff coverage on its dedicated 24-hour Mental Health Line, on 1800 011 511.

The Transcultural Mental Health Line (1800 648 911) is available for people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

If you, or someone in your care, needs crisis support, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.  Children and young people can call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 or chat online at kidshelpline.com.au.

The Australian and NSW Government will continue working closely with the community to ensure support remains responsive and sustained.


“The antisemitic terrorism incident in Bondi has shaken the Jewish community, and indeed the whole nation who have been devastated by what is an unprecedented attack on the Australian way of life.

“This event is a tragedy and the Bondi community, Sydney, and Australia, is hurting. My government is committed to supporting those in the wake of this tragedy which is why we are partnering with the New South Wales Government to provide over $20 million in funding for support services through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

“My Government unequivocally stands against terrorism and will do whatever it takes to ensure the safety and wellbeing of this community and all Australians.”

Premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns:

“This attack has caused unimaginable pain for victims, families and the Jewish community, and it has shaken our entire state.”

“Our responsibility is to stand alongside people in their grief, provide real support, and help the community recover, not just in the days ahead, but for as long as it takes.”

“This package is about dignity, compassion and practical help, ensuring families are supported, businesses can recover, and people know they are not facing this alone.”

“I urge anyone who is struggling or needs help to reach out. Support is available, and we want people to use it.”

NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey:

“Sydney’s Jewish community, and everyone else who loves Bondi Beach, have refused to be cowed by Sunday’s evil attack.

“This assistance package is recognition that our community is at its strongest when it pulls together – and that when it does so, terror can never prevail.

“We will make every effort to ensure that one of Australia’s best loved landmarks remains a place of joy, celebration and freedom for all.”

On Sunday evening, as the sun set over Bondi Beach, I witnessed both the worst of humanity and the very best of Australia. 

The horrific images of the Bondi terrorist attack have now been seen across New South Wales and around the world. This was a permanent stain on one of our nation’s most iconic places, a beach that reflects who we are as a country: open, diverse and free. 

As we continue to grapple with the shock and senseless loss of life, our thoughts are with the families, friends and loved ones of those who were killed, and with the many who were injured. 

We owe an immense debt of gratitude to first responders, surf lifesaving volunteers and members of the public who ran towards danger, without hesitation and without regard for their own safety, to help strangers in need. 

Now we must confront why this happened. 

Once, an attack like this would have been unthinkable in Australia. Yet warning signs have been mounting for some time. This was not just an attack in a public place, it was an attack on our Jewish community, and on the values that bind us together. 

We must examine our gun laws. There is no credible justification for any individual in metropolitan Sydney to own or access multiple high-powered firearms. As Leader of the Opposition, I will work constructively with the Government to ensure New South Wales has the strongest gun laws in the country. Community safety demands nothing less. 

But laws alone are not enough. If we allow hatred to take root and go unchallenged, those laws will be tested, and our people and our communities will remain at risk. 

Antisemitism in NSW has not emerged overnight. It has been allowed to grow through complacency, institutional drift, and a failure of leadership over several years. 

Warning signs were visible well before October 7, rising hostility in workplaces, politicisation of public institutions, tolerance of intimidation, and the quiet erosion of impartiality in education, health and public service settings. 

Rather than confronting these trends early, our governments too often chose appeasement over enforcement and silence over moral clarity. Antisemitic incidents were downplayed, complaints dismissed, and responsibility deferred. 

When hatred escalated into public intimidation, vandalism and violence, the state was unprepared, not because the risk was unforeseeable, but because it was ignored. 

This failure to act sent a clear signal, that antisemitism could persist without consequence. 

In doing so, governments did not just fail the Jewish community, they weakened social cohesion and allowed hate to take root across our state. 

We must demand more from our governments. We now don’t have any other choice. 

It’s now time to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Jewish community and use every means possible to stamp out antisemitism for good. 

The NSW Liberals and Nationals stand ready to do so. 

POGANY FAMILY

Marika, known lovingly to all as Omi, was a beautiful mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and steadfast friend , whose warmth and energy touched countless lives. Vibrant and full of life, she brought joy and energy into every room and found her greatest happiness surrounded by her adoring family. Her darling son Romy was her greatest achievement and her world.

Marika was fortunate to have the opportunity to come to Australia in 1968 from Czechoslovakia with Romy lovingly accompanied by her protector, her brother Ivan. She became an Australian citizen in 1972 where she embraced her life as an Aussie from that point on. She was very proud of her country.

She had an extraordinary gift for connecting with people. Her kindness, laughter, and generosity left a lasting mark on everyone she met, and her incredible network of friends was a true reflection of the love and loyalty she inspired.

Deeply devoted to her community, she gave her time and heart in service to others, delivering meals and helping people in need, embodying love in action.

Though she is gone, her light will continue to shine brightly through the family and friends who were so blessed to have her in their lives. Forever our gorgeous Darlink.

SMYTH FAMILY

We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Adam Smyth (50), father of four children and husband to Katrina.

Adam and Katrina were walking at Bondi Beach on Sunday evening when they found themselves in the middle of the horrific and devastating attack.

We are all trying to come to terms with the senseless shooting, of which Adam was a victim.

No words can describe the pain of our loss.

Adam and Katrina were living their best lives together. Their shared love of family and friends, travel and sport – if not always the same team – made their time together truly special.

Adam’s loves in life were his English Premier League football team Liverpool, his AFL team the Sydney Swans, the NRL’s Manly Sea Eagles and his beloved pets.

We will forever cherish the time we have had with him. Adam was a generous and kind person who will be dearly missed and is forever irreplaceable.

You’ll never walk alone (YNWA).

GURMAN FAMILY

We are heartbroken by the sudden and senseless loss of our beloved Boris (69) and Sofia Gurman (61).

They had been married for 34 years, with their 35th wedding anniversary approaching in January. In just two days’ time, we were meant to celebrate Sofia’s birthday – a moment that now feels incredibly hard to comprehend.

Boris and Sofia were deeply devoted to their family and were well known in their community for their kindness, warmth and willingness to help others. Boris was a retired mechanic, and Sofia was working at Australia Post for the past five years. They lived honest, hardworking lives and treated everyone with care and respect.

We are devastated by this loss and ask for privacy as we grieve. We are deeply grateful for the love and support shown to our family during this unimaginable time.

ELKAYAM FAMILY

On the 14th of December 2025, the first night of Hanukkah, Dan was at the beach with his friends for the lighting of the Hannukah Candles. He was playing football, celebrating the holiday, and enjoying a sunny summer day at Bondi Beach.

During a mass shooting, Dan was shot in the back while trying to run away.

He was murdered because he was Jewish.

He leaves behind his partner in Australia, as well as his parents, brothers, nieces, and nephews in Paris, France, where he was born and raised. He was deeply proud of his community back home in Le Bourget.

Dan was a 27-year-old IT engineer who was working and being sponsored by NBCUniversal. He was beginning to build his future in Australia, a country he loved.

Football was one of Dan’s greatest passions. He played at the 2022 Maccabiah Games and for several teams in both France and Australia, including Waverley and Rockdale, and was in the process of signing with Dolls Point.

Dan loved life – fully and intensely. He travelled the world and was known for his gentle, kind, fun and loving nature, making friends wherever he went. Alongside football, he had a deep connection with nature. He was a certified scuba diver and an explorer at heart, always eager to discover new places, cultures, and experiences.

Dan brought light wherever he went and inspired countless people through the way he lived. His smile could light up any room. He was pure joy – a beautiful and humble soul.

To say that Dan will be missed is not enough. He was a person who truly wanted to do good in the world, to share his love of life and his sense of adventure with everyone around him.

It is now our responsibility to carry forward the light that Dan spread. He was surrounded by loved ones from all walks of life and all communities, and in times as dark as these, we all have a duty to continue spreading kindness, compassion, and joy – in his name.

TETLEROYD FAMILY

Boris was loved by everyone he met. He was well known to his neighbours, deeply connected to our wider community, and cherished by his family.

He was profoundly loved and adored by his sons Yaakov and Roman and by his wife Svetlana. He is also deeply loved by his brother, aunt, nieces, nephews, cousins and all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Boris was a gentle man, a gifted musician and a valued member of his community. We honour his life and the love he so generously gave to those around him.

KLEYTMAN FAMILY

Alex Kleytman was murdered on Sunday, 14.12.2025. He was a fascinating person of many talents and an unwavering spirit. He was also very stubborn!! Born in 1938, he survived the hardships of World War II in frozen Siberia, carrying with him a lifetime of extraordinary stories of resilience, survival, and unexpected luck. He worked as a civil engineer and estimator his entire life, first in the former Soviet Union and then in Australia. He retired in Australia at 76 and worked on many essential projects at Transfield and John Holland, including the Desalination plant, the Olympic stadium, and various highways. He was very valued at his work, and we received many emails and photographs from his colleagues during these dark times.

A former colleague described Alex as, “a talented engineer by training, Alex became one of the founding members of what became John Holland Water and was an instrumental part of this business, which developed into the most successful water infrastructure delivering company in Australia.”

After he retired, he first became a lobbyist, passionately advocating against some aspects of the Sydney Light Rail. Then he found his real passion: writing books about the lives of Jewish people in the Soviet Union. He published two books: ‘Relay of Memory: Known and Unknown Jews’, and ‘Stalin’s Bloody Five-Year Plan 1948-1953’ (the latter was co-authored with my mum, Larisa). These books, grounded in thorough research, were embraced by the community and presented at many public events.

He played table tennis and chess with passion and enthusiasm throughout his life and was a school champion. He loved his wife, Larisa, with unparalleled passion, the kind you only see in the movies. He and Mum loved to dance and were quite good, winning a dancing competition at work. Alex discovered Judaism in his 50s and became observant after immigrating to Australia, where he married Larisa AGAIN on the 25th anniversary of their civil wedding, but this time according to Jewish law. Equally, he cherished Australia, the Australian way of life, the freedom, democracy, people, all of it. In his presence, no one could ever criticise anything about his beloved new home.

Alex tragically died on 14 December 2025, doing what he loved most: protecting Larisa, standing proudly as a Jew, and celebrating the Festival of Lights. The two gunmen killed him, but his memories, his legacy, and his books will bring light for generations to come. He’s survived by his wife, two children and 11 grandchildren. Loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend, and a passionate professional across many fields, you touched so many lives. You will be deeply missed and never forgotten.