‘Absolutely unwanted’: John Singleton’s plea for Bondi Junction inquest

High-profile businessman John Singleton, whose daughter was killed in the Bondi Junction stabbing attack last year, has described an upcoming coronial inquiry as a ghoulish “waste of time” and pleaded for it to be shelved.

Dawn Singleton, 25, was among six people killed in a three-minute stabbing spree by mentally ill man Joel Cauchi at Bondi Junction Westfield on April 13, 2024. It ended when Cauchi was shot dead by police.

Bondi Junction Westfield stabbing victim Dawn Singleton.Credit: 60 Minutes

“He kills these people, he gets killed. End of story,” the former adman told 60 Minutes on Sunday night.

“What else do they want to find out? For four weeks? The lawyers, oh, they’re going to have a ball.”

The coronial inquiry will examine whether the response of security guards and emergency services and whether early intervention could have prevented Cauchi from taking a hunting knife to the mall.

The coroner has indicated there is no proposal to play sensitive footage in court.

John Singleton with his daughter Dawn Singleton when she was a child.Credit: 60 Minutes

But Singleton said he was horrified by the prospect of reliving the events, and the prospect of graphic CCTV or police bodycam videos being played in court or released publicly.

“Why do you have to include the actual killings? You want the knife going in? Do you want the blood? It’s like the first five minutes of Taxi Driver. To live through again the macabre footage as they’re all being stabbed and dying, that is absolutely unwanted in this case.”

Singleton conceded his view was not necessarily held by the other families, at least some of whom were against him speaking out.

Ashlee Good, 38, Jade Young, 47, Cheng Yixuan, 27, Pikria Darchia, 55 and Faraz Tahrir, 30, were also killed in the attack. A further 10 people were injured.

John Singleton says an inquest is unwanted and unnecessary. Credit: 60 Minutes

But Singleton said he did not see how speaking would do any further damage.

“The only way I can pile pressure on is hope that the attorney-general or premier say to the coroner … ‘Are you sure? Do you really have to?’ No one derives benefit from this. Dismiss it.’”

State coroner Teresa O’Sullivan told a directions hearing in November that she was required by law to hold the inquest to confirm that a particular death had occurred and to make findings about the identity of the deceased, the date, place, cause and manner of the death, and any recommendations that may improve public safety.

Singleton said he blamed Cauchi for the killings and “those who let him be free”, and that a four-week inquiry was unnecessary.

“It’s just absolutely stupid,” he said. “I think it’s just a waste of time, if it’s going to prove anything at all.”

Cauchi was diagnosed as schizophrenic and had received treatment for 18 years, but he had stopped taking his medication five years before the attack. He was being treated by a private psychiatrist in Queensland before he moved to NSW. On a visit home, his father had found and confiscated five combat knives from his bag, which Cauchi reported to police.

Singleton agreed it was valid to ask why that incident had not raised red flags that might have led to Cauchi being monitored and that the system that allowed the attacks to happen needed more scrutiny. But he questioned whether an inquest was the forum to do it.

He had bigger questions as well. Dawn had been at Westfield buying make-up for her wedding day, one of many trips that also included buying Singleton a new jacket to walk her down the aisle.

“What am I doing here at 100 years old instead of Dawnie? If there is a God, get him in the witness box too, you know. I’ve got some questions I’d like to ask him.

“Why did she have to go and have a look for make-up for a bridal day which is six months off? … She doesn’t need any make-up anyway. Why? Why at Westfield on a Saturday afternoon? Not a big shopping time. She missed the race of the day.”

The coronial inquiry is due to begin on April 28.

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