Pod Force One Minisode: Antisemitic Terror Attack and How Australia Failed to Stop It

Host: Miranda Devine (New York Post columnist)
Date: December 15, 2025

Episode Overview

In this especially timely minisode, host Miranda Devine examines the devastating terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, Sydney, calling it “Australia’s October 7.” She reflects on the buildup of unchecked antisemitism, problems in law enforcement, and political appeasement that, as she sees it, contributed to this tragedy. Devine sharply critiques the Australian government’s response, draws historical parallels, and questions the impact of multicultural policies on social cohesion and public safety.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Bondi Beach Terror Attack (00:26–04:12)

• Attack Recap:
  • A father and son with Islamist backgrounds attacked a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach.
  • “In 10 unmolested minutes... Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Navid Akram, 24, slaughtered at least 16 innocents and injured 42, including a Holocaust survivor, cops and a child in the deadliest terrorist attack in Australian history.” [03:45]
• Setting Context:
  • Bondi Beach described as a vibrant, multicultural, and iconic Sydney locale, now marked by tragedy.

The Rise of Antisemitism in Australia (01:28–02:55)

• Pattern of Hate:
  • Ongoing antisemitic acts: synagogue firebombings, vandalism, and aggressive graffiti—“Kill Jews is the mantra.”
  • Widespread weekly pro-Palestinian protests: “Every weekend for at least the last two years, downtown Sydney has been shut down by Palestinian protests.” [02:13]
• Political Alignment:
  • Government officials and local celebrities supporting anti-Israel demonstrations and causes.

Law Enforcement & Political Failures (03:50–05:41)

• Failures in Policing & Intelligence:
  • Official underestimation of threat: “One of the men reportedly is known to police and has been assessed by counterterrorism experts as posing a, quote, low level threat. Sydney’s Daily Telegraph also reported that he had, quote, Islamist fundamentalist views. No kidding.” [04:08]
• Tough Gun Laws, Weak on Terror:
  • “Strict gun control for law abiding Australians, but not for the homegrown Islamist terrorists and gangbangers…”

Government Response and Political Calculations (04:50–08:55)

• Labor Government's Approach:
  • “If anything, left wing Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his cabinet have appeased antisemites and been hostile to Israel.” [05:15]
  • Government reluctance to act explicitly or prioritize Jewish safety: appointment of envoys “for antisemitism... [and] for Islamophobia, even though it’s Jews who are being attacked and vilified.”
• Voter Politics:
  • Labor’s “cynical political ploy to pander to its Muslim bloc of voters who outnumber Jews 7 to 1.” [06:02]
• International Political Maneuvers:
  • Australia’s formal recognition of Palestine at the UN, which, according to Devine, “only emboldened Hamas at a crucial time and threatened to sabotage hostage releases.” [06:44]
• Historical Scandals and Community Impacts:
  • The podcast references the 2006 Lakemba mosque controversy and the legal aftermath of the early 2000s Sydney gang rape cases, highlighting difficulties in confronting crime seen as “politically sensitive.”

Social Cohesion & Immigration (08:56–12:03)

• Long Term Impacts of Immigration Policy:
  • Devine posits that “record immigration and refugee resettlement” have outpaced the country’s ability to integrate newcomers: “daunting pressures on house prices and social integration, with cops frightened to offend Labor’s favourite voting bloc…”
• Free Speech & Justice:
  • Reflection on earlier moments of pushback against “political correctness” and their rarity in today’s climate.

Global and Local Reactions (10:45–12:33)

• Benjamin Netanyahu's Rebuke:
  • Citing Netanyahu (with direct quote and timestamp):

    “You did nothing to curb the cancer cells that were growing inside your country. You took no action… and the result is the horrific attacks on Jews we saw today.” [11:04]

• Prime Minister's Shifting Tone:
  • Initial response from Albanese did not mention Jews or terrorism, but later called it “an act of evil. Antisemitism, terrorism. An attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on every Australian.” [12:17]
• Devine’s Conclusion:
  • “It’s just a pity it took the carnage to wake him up.” [12:25]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Miranda Devine, opening statement (00:13):

  “Today’s subject is close to my heart. It’s the tragic anti-Semitic massacre in my longtime hometown of Sydney, Australia… It’s the worst terrorist attack in Australia’s history and it comes on the heels of two years of unrelenting antisemitism and pro-Hamas hate marches.”

• Anonymous Jewish parent (05:00):

  “It is sickening… Unfortunately, it’s 100% unsurprising. Our country is filled with radicals who are quite capable of this and our government is doing nothing to combat it.”

• Devine on political appeasement (05:25):

  “If anything left wing Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his cabinet have appeased antisemites and been hostile to Israel.”

• Netanyahu’s reaction to Albanese (11:04):

  “You did nothing to curb the cancer cells… the result is the horrific attacks on Jews we saw today.”

• Albanese’s later statement (12:17):

  “An act of evil. Antisemitism, terrorism. An attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on every Australian.”

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:00 – 01:27: Introduction and background to Bondi Beach’s significance
• 01:28 – 04:12: Details of the attack & rise of antisemitism
• 04:13 – 06:44: Law enforcement response and political failures
• 06:45 – 08:56: Cultural context and government political maneuvers
• 08:57 – 11:04: Historical precedents, immigration challenges, and social ramifications
• 11:05 – 12:33: International and domestic reactions
• 12:34 – End: Closing remarks and preview of next episode

Tone and Language

Miranda Devine’s tone is urgent, provocative, and critical, mixing journalistic observation with personal outrage and political analysis. The language is vivid and often charged, starkly framing the attack as predictable fallout from broader patterns of appeasement and failed policy.

Summary

This minisode offers an in-depth look at the tragic Bondi Beach terrorist attack through Miranda Devine’s perspective as a Sydney native and columnist. She interweaves the horror of the event with stories of recent antisemitic incidents, critiques of Australia’s political leadership—especially regarding multiculturalism, law enforcement, and immigration—and draws global parallels to warn of increasing intolerance. The episode is direct, contentious, and positioned as a wake-up call about the costs of political complacency in the face of rising extremism.