Premier pledges action on Bondi stabbing inquiry as Sydney honours victims

NSW Premier Chris Minns pays special tribute to hero police officer Amy Scott as Sydney commemorates a year since the devastating attack.

Family members lay flowers on the one-year anniversary of the Westfield Bondi stabbing that killed 6 people. Picture: NewsWire/Jeremy Piper

NSW Premier Chris Minns has pledged to act as soon as recommendations are made by the coroner inquiring into the devastating Bondi Junction attack, as Sydney commemorates the one year anniversary of the tragedy that left six innocent people dead and the lives of hundreds changed forever.

On Sunday Mr Minns, NSW Governor Margaret Beazley, Police Commissioner Karen Webb and members of the community laid floral bouquets at commemorative display boards installed in the Oxford Street Mall at Bondi Junction, where photos and messages from previous tribute sites have been collected.

Mr Minns paid special tribute to hero police officer Amy Scott, who responded to reports of a man stabbing people at the Westfield shopping centre on April 13 last year, ending the rampage when she fired at Joel Cauchi as he charged towards her wielding a large hunting knife.

Inspector Scott shot Cauchi twice – once in the neck and once in the shoulder – killing him.

“We have an amazing police force, full of brave, professional police officers who’ve committed their professional lives to saving other people, exemplified by people like Amy Scott, whom, every time I speak to her, or anyone speaks to her, she just pushes away the attention and the praise”, Mr Minns told Seven’s Weekend Sunrise.

“She’s that humble, she’s that important to the state.”

Inspector Amy Scott with community members at a memorial in Oxford Street Mall in Bondi Junction to mark the one year anniversary of the Bondi Westfield stabbings.

Mr Minn said the NSW government was committed to ensuring a full inquiry and investigation into the deaths of Cheng Yixuan, 27, Pikria Darchia, 55, Ashlee Good, 38, Dawn Singleton, 25, Faraz Ahmed Tahir, 30, and Jade Young, 47.

A coronial inquest scheduled from April 28 to May 30 will include an in-depth look at Cauchi’s background, movements and mental health issues, including whether he had an identifiable motive.

Mr Minns defended the coronial process, following criticism from adman John Singleton, whose daughter Dawn was killed in the attack that the inquest would be “sick, macabre, ghoulish” if counsel assisting the coroner opted to show CCTV of Cauchi’s attacks. The coroner has said that footage would not be shown.

“We need to do everything we possibly can to ensure that it doesn’t happen again, and that the state and authorities learn the lessons,” Mr Minns said. “And that’s an incredibly important process, although it will be harrowing for the families.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns has pledged to act as soon as recommendations are made by the coroner inquiring into the devastating Bondi Junction attack. Picture: Julian Andrews

Mr Minns declined to speculate on the outcome of the inquest, but promised his government “will act as soon as recommendations are made”.

Anthony Albanese urged Australians to remember the victims of the tragedy “whose lives were stolen on what should have been just another Saturday.”

“This should not be an anniversary. They should still be here – with their families, their friends and in their communities, with all their hopes and dreams and joys that are the very essence of life.”

“As we grieve them, we think of everyone who wakes each morning and feels the pain of their loss anew.”

Commissioner Webb paid tribute to “the victims of one of the most horrific events in Australian history” and to the hundreds of people, including police, paramedics, and civilians, who “were all first responders on this horrific day”.

Bondi stabbing victims, top left to right: Jade Young, Ashlee Good, Dawn Singleton.Bottom left to right: Cheng Yixuan, Faraz Ahmed Tahir, Pikria Darchia.

“They are heroes, risking their own lives in an effort to save victims and nurse the wounded during what can only be described as a senseless tragedy,” she said.

The commemorations come as police reveal that more than 60 knives and other weapons were seized during a major two-day operation targeting knife crime across NSW that ended on Saturday.

During Operation Foil police seized machetes, meat cleavers, switchblades and a firearm, laid 250 charges, executed 45 arrest warrants and made 125 drug detections.

In one case police in Karabar, a suburb of Queanbeyan, chased a 17-year-old who fled when they approached, arresting the teenager and taking possession of a 40cm long machete.