The Albanese Government has dodged questions on reports of a communication breakdown between Australia’s national security agencies, amid claims warning signs about the accused Bondi terrorists were not properly shared.
Reports allege that Australian Federal Police and Border Force were aware the two men accused of carrying out the Bondi terror attack had travelled to known extremist hotspots — but the information was not passed on to ASIO or NSW Police.
Naveed Akram was reportedly flagged by ASIO in 2019, although neither he nor his father Sajid Akram were classified as extremists at the time, despite alleged associations with individuals of concern.
The pair are understood to have travelled to Uzbekistan in late 2022 and later attempted to cross into Taliban-controlled Afghanistan on foot.
They also reportedly travelled to the southern Philippines, an area long associated with militant activity, in the months before the December 2025 attack.
It is alleged these movements were not escalated between agencies, with ASIO and NSW Police not being formally alerted.
NSW Police, which had issued firearms licences to the Akrams, were also reportedly not informed of the overseas travel.
Asked about the reports and whether intelligence should have been shared more effectively, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Patrick Gorman did not directly address the alleged breakdown.
“It’s not appropriate for me to comment on matters that are for National Security Committee of Cabinet,” he said in Perth on Sunday.
“We have publicly stated that we are implementing the recommendations provided to us from the interim report.
“We want to make sure that all Australians and particularly Jewish Australians following the horrific antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi, are safe.”
The alleged coordination failure comes amid reports intelligence funding for counter-terrorism has fallen to about 19 per cent in 2025.
Mr Gorman said funding for national security agencies had increased overall but did not address the specific allocation to counter-terrorism, instead pointing to the Royal Commission underway.
“When it comes to allocation within those agencies, that is a matter for agency heads,” he said.
“We’ve provided the resources agencies have told us they need to keep Australians safe.
“We’re having a Royal Commission because of the horrific loss of life at Bondi Beach. We want to get all the answers.”
