A terrifying phone call from his barricaded wife and daughters during the Bondi Beach terror attack has spurred a prominent Sydney investment manager to spearhead a major national campaign for a federal royal commission.
"Sheer terror" during Hanukkah celebration attack
David Baxby was interstate on business when he received the panicked call. His wife and their two daughters were locked inside a bathroom at Harry's Cafe in Bondi, hiding as gunfire erupted outside.
"I've never felt more scared, or frankly, more powerless, than I did in those 15 minutes," Mr Baxby recalled. He described the scene his family endured for half an hour as "sheer terror" and "absolute pandemonium."
The attack, which targeted Jewish Australians marking the first night of Hanukkah, left 15 people dead and dozens more wounded.
Business leaders unite to fund national campaign
Now, Mr Baxby and a coalition of other high-profile business figures have raised more than $200,000 to fund a nationwide push for a Commonwealth royal commission. The campaign aims to address anti-Semitism and the rising tide of extremist violence in Australia.
An open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, signed by over 2500 people, calls for "unified political leadership" and "decisive action to root out all forms of extremism." The message has been published in newspapers across the ACM network and other Australian mastheads.
"These are ordinary business owners, community members... who simply upon hearing that there is a way for them to contribute, have dug in their pockets," Mr Baxby said of the campaign's supporters.
Mounting pressure prompts government shift
The campaign adds to weeks of unanimous calls from Jewish groups, former judges, politicians, and security experts for a powerful federal inquiry. Mr Baxby, a resident of Sydney's eastern suburbs, criticised the government's initial reluctance, calling it arrogant given the clear warnings.
"I'm aware of fire bombings of synagogues, of the spray painting on their houses, and frankly, of the terror that their children felt simply going to school," he said, expressing guilt that such incidents had become normalised.
Under growing public pressure, Prime Minister Albanese shifted the government's stance. At a media conference, he stated the federal government would "examine everything" needed to unite the nation, while supporting the NSW-led inquiry into the attack.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers emphasised immediate action but did not rule out a royal commission. Parliament is expected to be recalled before January 26 to pass new laws targeting "hate preachers" and to fund a national gun buyback scheme.
The proposed legislation will create a new criminal offence for religious leaders who incite violence and allow for visa cancellations for those spreading hate. A review of intelligence agencies, led by former spy chief Dennis Richardson, is also a key government priority.
