Leading Australian Jewish advocate Dionne Taylor declares Prime Minister Anthony Albanese “has blood on his hands” after the Bondi Beach massacre targeting Jewish locals celebrating Hanukkah. She described the terrorist attack as “a transformational watershed moment” for the country, while urging the left-wing PM to “call President Trump” to learn how to lead with strength in protecting citizens and countering rising threats, citing Trump’s success in combating antisemitism “on campuses and elsewhere.”
Speaking exclusively to Breitbart News from Sydney on Monday, Taylor — who serves as Communications Manager of the Australia–Israel Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) — delivered a searing indictment of her country’s leadership in the wake of Sunday’s terror attack at a Hanukkah event, where at least 15 were killed and dozens wounded. The shooting — carried out by a father and son — has been declared a targeted antisemitic act.
“This attack must be marked as a transformational watershed moment for Australia,” Taylor said. “We’ve seen an erosion of social cohesion and democratic values, but most importantly, we’ve lost citizens.”
“It’s been escalating for over two years, and failure to act leads to this,” she added.
AIJAC is the leading voice for Australia’s Jewish community, countering antisemitism and advising government, media, and civil society.
The Jewish community had warned of escalating threats for over two years, the Sydney-based leader explained, citing targeted attacks and threats linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
“We know why this happened. We’ve had very weak leadership. I’m not surprised — I’m shocked,” she stated. “Hate speech turned into graffiti, which turned into arson attacks, which turned into murder. Our government did not listen to the warning signs that we, and parts of the media, were raising.”
“For years we heard statements like, ‘There’s no place for antisemitism in Australia.’ But when you allow these things to happen, and then acknowledge a Palestinian state, you embolden this behaviour,” she added. “We’ve had many incidents over the past two years — and now this. I don’t know where we go from here.”
A government report recommending action against antisemitism was largely ignored, she noted.
“We’ve heard empty promises and pathetic excuses for years. [Prime Minister Albanese] has blood on his hands — the blood of the Jewish community,” she exclaimed.
“If this isn’t a wake-up call, I don’t know what is,” Taylor told Breitbart News.
The 2025 plan outlined urgent steps across law enforcement, education, online regulation, campus reform, and immigration policy — warning that antisemitism had become a national crisis threatening Australia’s democracy and security.
Noting that “Australia and Israel are eternal friends,” she contrasted the Australian government’s failures with President Donald Trump’s record, urging Australian officials to take note.
“If you look at a leader like President Donald Trump, he has made a significant impact in securing the return of hostages and promoting security,” she stated. “His leadership has been effective in combating antisemitism on campuses and elsewhere.”
“Perhaps our Prime Minister could call President Trump and ask how it’s done,” she added. “Let him show him because there’s a lot to learn.”
Taylor also warned that such attacks are not isolated but follow a pattern already seen across Europe and beyond — from Manchester to Paris. She added that Jews in Australia now increasingly feel unsafe appearing “visibly Jewish” in public, citing hostile protests and intimidation.
“Despite strong statements from leaders, governments have delayed or diluted the necessary measures, including acting on antisemitism recommendations,” she concluded. “What happened in Bondi shows this inaction cannot continue.”
In the aftermath, Taylor visited Bondi Beach and witnessed a powerful moment of unity amid grief.
“I went to the beach today and saw the vigil — the flowers, the people gathering. I’ve been to many vigils over the years, usually with people from our own community,” she said. “But today, Australians who weren’t Jewish stood with us in solidarity, shoulder to shoulder. That was truly remarkable.”
The matter comes as President Trump called on Jewish Americans to “be proud” and “celebrate proudly” this Hanukkah, offering a sharp contrast to what critics describe as weak and apologetic leadership in Australia following the deadly attack.
Previously, President Trump criticized the recognition of a Palestinian state as a reward for terror.
Following the October 7 massacre in Israel executed by the Hamas Islamic terrorist organization, Hamas supporters chanted against Jews beside the world-famous Sydney Opera House in Australia.
In response to Sunday’s attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the mass-casualty terrorist shooting came after he warned Australian Prime Minister Albanese months ago that Canberra’s policies were “promoting and encouraging antisemitism.”
He further charged that Australia “replaced weakness with weakness and appeasement with more appeasement” as Jewish blood was spilled.
In December, Netanyahu blasted the Labor government of Australian Prime Minister Albanese, saying its anti-Israel policies had led directly to antisemitic attacks in the country.
More recently, the Israeli PM slammed Albanese, saying history would see him as a “weak politician who betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia’s Jews.”
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.