EXCLUSIVE: A former Australian government minister stated that Islamic extremism, government inaction, and loose security screening for migrants from Middle Eastern conflict zones all contributed to the country’s deadliest terrorist attack.

Former Australian Treasurer and Member of Parliament Josh Frydenberg told Digital from Sydney that, “While guns may have taken the lives of the at Bondi Beach, it was actually radical Islam which pulled the trigger.” He added that the government’s response to the deadly attack has focused on the weapon rather than the ideology fueling the violence.

“We’ve taken thousands of people from the , namely Gaza,” Frydenberg said in a Zoom interview with Digital. “We’ve also accepted people from many other countries without adequate security checks, and we’re paying a price in Australia for having individuals here who don’t share the same commitment to democratic ideals that I and others do.”

Frydenberg’s comments come as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has moved to tighten Australia’s already strict gun laws following the massacre, announcing plans for a new national gun buyback scheme and additional firearms restrictions. But in an interview with Digital, Frydenberg said the measures risk avoiding a more difficult reckoning with what he described as years of unaddressed extremism, rising antisemitism, and security failures that left Jewish Australians increasingly vulnerable.

“The government needs to do far more to confront hate preachers, target organizations spreading that hatred, and ensure those inciting violence are prosecuted.”

Frydenberg noted that Australia has failed to implement steps adopted by other Western democracies, including banning extremist groups that remain legal in the country.

“Hezbat al-Tahrir, which is banned in the United Kingdom, Germany, and moderate Islamic states, is , and it should be.”

When asked if Jewish Australians feel safe, Frydenberg said the situation has hit a breaking point.

“Australia is unsafe for right now,” he stated, citing an unprecedented escalation in harassment, intimidation, and violence since Oct. 7, 2023.

“We’ve seen Jewish artists doxxed, Jewish businesses boycotted, houses of worship—synagogues—firebombed, and even childcare centers targeted,” he said. “Our universities are no longer places of education; they’ve become hotbeds of hatred where people have harassed, intimidated, and acted violently against Jewish students and staff.”

His warnings received fresh attention this week after a separate television interview he gave to Australia’s ABC network went viral, following a tense exchange with anchor Sarah Ferguson, who questioned whether his criticism of the government should be viewed through a political lens.

“I’m deeply offended by what you just said,” Frydenberg replied. “That’s an insult—an insult to suggest there’s any political motive behind this.”

“My children attend a school with armed guards outside,” he continued. “When I visit a Jewish Aged Care Center, there are armed guards. When I send my kids to Jewish sporting clubs, there are police cars and tape. How are we supposed to live like this? Why should we have to?”

Frydenberg pushed back against the idea that his warnings were partisan, arguing the issue transcends politics.

“This isn’t a partisan issue—it’s a leadership issue. It’s about Australia’s safety, security, and soul,” he said.

He told Digital that the government will ultimately be judged by what it does next, not by public statements.

“They won’t be judged by their words,” Frydenberg said. “Only by their actions—and they’ll need to do far more than what they’ve announced today to turn the situation around.”