In the aftermath of the horrific Martin Place siege and following the tragic loss of innocent lives, we must learn what we can from this incident and implement any changes necessary at the State and Federal level.
The Commonwealth and New South Wales governments will urgently conduct a review into the Martin Place siege and what lessons can be learned from the events leading up to and surrounding the siege.
As our State and Commonwealth law enforcement and security agencies work together to keep Australia safe, the review will identify important lessons for the future.
The review will examine and make recommendations about a wide range of issues including the circumstances surrounding hostage-taker Man Haron Monis’ arrival in Australia and subsequent granting of asylum and citizenship; what information agencies had about him and how it was shared; and whether relevant national security legislative powers could have been better used.
The Terms of Reference for the review are attached.
As we work to learn what we can from these terrible events, we acknowledge once again the courage and professionalism shown by our law enforcement and security agencies and emergency services.
We are determined to ensure that nothing stands in the way of ensuring the people who put their lives on the line to keep Australia safe can get their job done.
We have asked the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Secretary of the New South Wales Department of Premier and Cabinet to commence the review immediately, drawing on expertise from within our relevant jurisdictions and consulting as necessary with other States and Territories.
The review will report by the end of January 2015.
Martin Place Siege – Terms of Reference
On 17 December 2014 the Prime Minister and Premier of NSW established a review, for consideration by the Commonwealth and NSW Cabinets, of lessons learnt from the Martin Place Siege of 15-16 December 2014.
The aim of the review is to identify lessons for the future: what worked well and what might be improved.
The review will examine and make recommendations in respect of Commonwealth and NSW agencies and the cooperation between them, in relation to:
- the arrival of Man Haron Monis in Australia and subsequent grant of asylum, permanent residency and Australian citizenship;
- support received from, or any other interactions Man Haron Monis had with, government social support agencies;
- information held by Commonwealth and NSW agencies about Man Haron Monis for the period prior to and following his arrival in Australia up until the siege including how any information relevant to public safety was shared between, and used by, agencies;
- the interaction of Man Haron Monis with the NSW justice system;
- Man Haron Monis’ access to firearms;
- whether, how and at what stage relevant national security legislative powers including Control Orders were or could have been used in relation to Man Haron Monis' activities of security concern;
- any lessons learnt by the NSW and Australian Federal Police about the handling of the siege;
- the effectiveness of public communication including coordination of messaging between the Commonwealth, NSW and jurisdictions; and
- the effectiveness of coordination more generally between the Commonwealth and NSW.
The review will take account of the parallel investigations into the incident including by the NSW State Coroner, and NSW Police and Australian Federal Police.
The review will prepare a report for consideration by the Commonwealth and NSW Cabinets by the end of January 2015.
17 December 2014