"As the facts of the event yesterday unfold, we will learn more about what occurred, and how the two men escalated. While little is certain at the moment, we can be sure that there is a familial, domestic element to this attack, and that it was undertaken with licensed, legally obtained firearms.

A father and son committing a mass casualty event is exceedingly rare. While we’re currently focused on the facts of the event – the weapons, the location, the ideology – there are contributing factors that extend beyond the event. It will be pivotal to understand why a father and son were motivated to commit this attack, and what led to their escalation – their family situation, involvement in online and offline groups, peer networks, and whether there were opportunities to de-escalate or intervene.

Pivotally, police have confirmed that they and ASIO were aware of the younger man, however that there was no signal of acts in preparation of an attack. Yet, they were able to legally access six firearms and construct several IEDs, meaning on some level there appears to have been communication or risk assessment oversight. This attack holds serious implications for how we understand the role of family in escalation to terrorist violence, and whether our current policies and legislation regarding firearms access are still appropriate to prevent attacks like this. Domestic relationships, and especially domestic and family violence, are emerging as consistent themes in extremism, and this may emerge here as well."

"The first thing you want to do after a traumatic event is to check in with loved ones and make sure safety has returned.

This includes sharing compassion with the victims, the families and first responders and the witnesses, and it means doing no further harm, for example by sharing graphic details or sharing incendiary messages.

Acute stress reactions are normal and people may experience shock, distress or not sleep very well. There will be a lot of people who have been impacted more indirectly, and it is important to triage support accordingly.

As time passes, there will be a need to commemorate, as people express sympathy toward the Jewish community. Symbolic events are important because they are a form of collective acknowledgement of what has happened and that is important for the healing process for the community and first responders. Collective rituals are very important to process trauma like this.

People will need to take time to oneself and gradually resume normal activities. Taking the time to share thoughts and feelings and grieve with others are all steps towards healing."

"In the days and weeks ahead, Australians will have many questions about how the perpetrators were able to commit these acts of terror. The communities and individuals most affected by these events will require long-term, wraparound supports. Health authorities, police and communities will need to work closely together with one another to ensure that the needs of those most affected are held at the centre of their work. Transparency and accountability will be crucial to maintaining public confidence in public institutions.

This is not the time for commentators or politicians to jump to conclusions about why systems of community safety and gun control failed, or what drove the perpetrators to violence against the Jewish community. Those questions will need to be thoroughly and fairly investigated, and the lessons that emerge from these investigations must be publicly shared. Now is the time for leaders and community members to look for tangible ways to express their support for those most affected. If you are looking to offer your support today: give blood, reach out to friends and family who may be particularly affected, or donate to the organisations that will be supporting the survivors and those who were targeted by these hate crimes."

Emma was born and raised in Australia and formerly served as director of research and policy for the Canadian Mass Casualty Commission, which enquired into Canada’s worst mass shooting and produced a series of reports on supporting communities in the wake of targeted acts of mass violence.

"The data shows that no other terrorist attack in Australian history has caused more fatalities. This is likely because firearms are rarely used in Australian terrorist incidents. Ideology is separate from target selection. It is not constructive to speculate about their motivations or ideology; aside from the clear targeting of the Jewish community, the ideological framework remains unknown. What we do know about these offenders is that those who escalate to violence are deeply committed to their ideology. 

Regarding offender characteristics and risk factors, having a close family member—such as parents, siblings, or extended relatives—who shares the same extremist beliefs significantly increases the likelihood of violence. What is unusual here is that the perpetrators are a father-and-son duo; typically, it is siblings or a single family member who are directly involved."

“Talking to children about traumatic events can be very challenging. What is most important is providing a safe space for them to ask questions and to answer these in language that is appropriate for their age and developmental stage.

If children have witnessed a traumatic event such as the one in Sydney, then the immediate priority is to reduce any signs of distress, provide physical safety, emotional and practical support, and to re-orient them if they seem to be overwhelmed or confused. Connecting children to their familiar adults and community is also important as is allowing a natural recovery to occur.

Research and clinical practice helps with guiding decisions around the type of conversations to have, how to meet the immediate needs of those impacted and how to watch out for signs of ongoing distress and post-traumatic stress.”

“Australia still does not have a National Firearms Register, and although development has commenced, the system is not expected to be operational until 2028. The concept of a national register has existed since the post–Port Arthur reforms in 1996, but repeated delays mean Australia still lacks a unified mechanism for tracking firearms across jurisdictions.

In February, it was reported that more than four million firearms are legally owned in Australia. Without a national register to support real-time information-sharing, police and other agencies remain dependent on separate state and territory systems, resulting in gaps in life-cycle monitoring, tracing, and national oversight of registered firearms.”

"The threat of terrorist attack in places where people gather for religious, sporting, cultural or political activities has been growing worldwide in recent years. The Bondi terror attack is the latest in a series of these catastrophic and devastating attacks. Other examples have included the Paris attacks of 2015, the Manchester arena bombing of 2017, and, of course, the 2023 Hamas attack on the Nova music festival in Israel.

What can we do to protect ourselves when we attend mass gathering events or locations where crowds gather?

First, think about the event you are going to - the location, purpose, motivation of the crowd, access, crowdedness and weather – and prepare. This is the best way to ensure that your day will be safe and enjoyable.

When you arrive at an event, check where your nearest exit is – plan your route for evacuation. We know that during an emergency, people try to leave the event the way that they came in – and this isn’t always the best way.

If an emergency does occur, stop for a heartbeat and assess where the threat is coming from – in what direction should you move (escape) or should you shelter (hide) where you are.

Think about how you would move through a panicked crowd. Move with the flow of the crowd and move diagonally toward the edges – if you fall, get up immediately.

Follow instructions and pay attention to those public announcements that occur before an event commences; they may save your life.

After the emergency has passed, think about the mental health impacts, both for you and for those around you. You can access mental health crisis lines and remember that reaching out and talking to those around you will also help.

Importantly, whenever you have the opportunity, learn first aid. Basic first aid skills are the best thing that you can bring to a mass gathering event and may save a life.

Public health experts globally have been working to establish guidance for health care systems at mass gatherings based on the best available scientific evidence, including the World Health Organisation’s Key Considerations for Public Health at Mass Gatherings."