Kyle Sandilands raises major concern after spate of shocking NSW stabbings

The radio shock jock has raised an issue he says needs to be looked into after Saturday’s horrific attacks at Bondi Junction.

Radio host Kyle Sandilands has raised a serious question regarding security guards at shopping centers and schools following a tragic week in which three major stabbings took place in NSW.

Queensland resident Joel Cauchi killed six people and injured 12 during an attack at Westfield Bondi Junction on Saturday afternoon.

Just the day prior, an 18-year-old tragically died after he was allegedly stabbed by a 16-year-old student near Doonside Technology High School in Sydney.

On Monday, a 16-year-old boy allegendly attacked Assyrian church leader Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel with a knife at Wakeley’s Christ The Good Shepherd Church.

Following the spate of shocking incidents, KIIS presenter Sandilands asked whether security guards need to be armed in a bid to help protect the public.

Kyle Sandilands says security guards should be armed.

“I saw the (NSW) Premier (Chris Minns) last night on TV saying firearms for security guards are not on the agenda. And I was like, ‘Well, what has to happen before a security guard can actually secure the place for us?’” he said on The Kyle and Jackie O Show.

“Every shopping centre and every school should have armed security guards, trained specialists, not just some guy getting a little firearms license. I mean, properly trained.”

He continued: “There’s people that work at Westfield, for example, women that work in shops that have told their husbands, ‘I am not going back to Westfield. I’m never going back to work again’.”

Currently, the majority of security guards in NSW are unarmed. However, they can carry batons and handcuffs if they provide a “genuine reason” to be equipped with them.

Sandilands’ calls echo those of his radio rival, Ray Hadley, who made similar remarks on Monday.

“For years I’ve been arguing that all security guards in the state in hospitals and shopping centers should be better equipped,” Hadley told his 2GB Sydney listeners on Monday.

“Particularly in hospitals, the madness of a weekend, drug-affected people wanting to attack doctors and nurses.

A tearful Andrew Cauchi, the father of Joel Cauchi, spoke to the media at the family home in Toowoomba on Monday morning. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

“And these poor security guards, unarmed, unable to do what they should do — protecting the people that they are there to protect.”

Premier Chris Minns announced on Monday afternoon that the government would be investing $18 million in an independent coronial inquest to investigate the Bondi Junction stabbings.

However, despite calls to arm security guards to prevent further tragedy, Minns maintained his government would not be considering policy changes at this time.

Hadley lashed out at Minns’ remarks, adding: “I heard Minns say we will wait until the coronial inquiry. Minns, you don’t need a brand-new inquiry. You need to make sure the security guards can keep people safe in some way.

“You must act immediately on unarmed security guards in these areas like shopping centers and hospitals. We don’t need an inquiry.”