Kellie Sloane
Leader of the Opposition
NSW Liberal Leader
The Minster for Police must urgently clarify the status of Operation Shelter at the time of the Bondi terrorist attack, after she contradicted evidence given to the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion.
The Royal Commission heard yesterday:
“There was no Operation Shelter in December 2025.”
“It didn’t exist at that time.”
This position is supported by a statement by the NSW Police Commissioner on 15 December 2025:
“This morning, we commenced Operation Shelter. It is an operation that we have previously run.”
Today Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said in 2025 Operation Shelter existed in “name only”.
Yet today, the Minister for Police repeatedly stated:
“I have been advised Operation Shelter never ceased.”
This follows comments in the Parliament in February 2026 where she said:
“Operation Shelter has been operating since October 2023”
The Minister must be clear – could Operation Shelter resources have been called on for Hanukkah by the Sea in 2025, as it was 2023 and 2024, or not?
It is not good enough that a day after Premier Chris Minns made extensive public comments regarding intelligence failings, his Minister is now using the Royal Commission as a shield against answering these questions.
The Jewish community deserves to know that assurances provided by the Government regarding matters impacting their safety are accurate.
This is a matter of significant public interest, and the public deserves transparency and honesty from the Government.