Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has an announced a National Day of Mourning will be held next Thursday, 22 January, to honour the victims of the Bondi terror attack.
The announcement came following a request from Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, who leads Bondi Chabad, the organiser of the Chanukah event that was the target of the attack.
Albanese said the day will have the theme of ‘Light will Win – a Gathering of Unity and Remembrance’, which was chosen by the Rabbi.
What exactly is a National Day of Mourning?
Bondi
On 14 December, two gunmen opened fire at a Jewish community event at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing 15 innocent people and injuring many more.
Hundreds had gathered to celebrate the start of the Jewish festival of Chanukah.
The mass shooting was declared a terrorist attack, and a Royal Commission into antisemitism has since been called.
Day of Mourning
In Australia, a National Day of Mourning is declared by the Government to honour and remember significant loss of life, typically involving Australian citizens or events of profound national impact.
On these days, flags are flown at half-mast on all government buildings.
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Australians are often encouraged to observe a minute’s silence at a designated time.
These are relatively rare occasions, reserved for circumstances of exceptional tragedy or loss, such as:
- Following the terrorist attacks in Bali in 2002, which killed 88 Australians.
- After the Black Saturday bushfires, which claimed 173 lives in 2009.
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last declared a National Day of Mourning on 15 April 2024, following the stabbing attack at Westfield in Bondi Junction.
22 January
A National Day of Mourning following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022 was declared a one-off public holiday, meaning most workers were entitled to a day off without pay.
This day of mourning for the Bondi terror attack victims will not be a public holiday.
The day will be commemorated by flying flags at half-mast in all Federal Government buildings around Australia.
Further details of proceedings will be announced later this week.
