Family of some Bondi Junction stabbing victims see ‘major issue' in police handling of information after attack, court hears

The Guardian

27-05-2025

The family of some victims of the Westfield Bondi Junction stabbing attack believe there is a 'major issue' in the way New South Wales police officers treated confidential information after the incident, a court has heard.
Joel Cauchi, 40, killed Ashlee Good, 38, Jade Young, 47, Yixuan Cheng, 27, Pikria Darchia, 55, Dawn Singleton, 25, and Faraz Tahir, 30, and injured 10 others at the Sydney shopping centre on 13 April 2024 before he was shot and killed by police officer Amy Scott.
In the final week of the five-week inquest into the seven deaths, the NSW coroner's court heard that speed and accuracy of information was essential after the incident, to 'report up' on a chain of communication that included the prime minister.
The NSW coroner Teresa O'Sullivan heard that police should adhere to a strict set of media policy guidelines and mandated regulations around confidential information such as the identities of victims – but that these rules allowed for discretion.
Sue Chrysanthou SC, legal counsel for the families of Good, Young and Singleton, said some of her clients had concerns around the way information was shared after the attack, when a media outlet misidentified the perpetrator and an injured baby was incorrectly reported to have died, the court heard.
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In court on Tuesday, the NSW police assistant commissioner Peter McKenna, appearing as a witness, said that media policy was 'drummed into' officers very early.
NSW police's media policy, last updated in 2022, applies to all police officers including the police commissioner, McKenna told the court.
The court heard a police regulation regarding confidential information states that officers must not divulge confidential information without the authority to do so.
When questioned by Chrysanthou about the role of the police in correcting misinformation that entered the public sphere, Mckenna said that it was not necessarily the responsibility of the police.
Chrysanthou suggested, in a case as significant as the Bondi Junction attack, that information should not be given by specific officers to specific members of the media.
McKenna agreed.
He said that he thought the policies were, 'generally speaking', adequately clear to inform police what they could and could not say to members of the media, but different situations were 'nuanced' and 'not always rigid'.
'Sometimes there's extraordinary circumstances that come into play,' McKenna said, adding that it was up to the individual to justify stepping outside the guidelines.
Chrysanthou questioned whether the media policy, as a guideline rather than a regulation, was sufficient.
She said her clients were likely to 'seek a recommendation that there not be discretion' around the media policy and sharing of confidential information.
'You're aware some of my clients think there has been a major issue?' Chrysanthou asked McKenna.
Earlier on Tuesday, and separate to the inquest proceedings, the 2GB radio host Ray Hadley again claimed he was given information about Singleton's identity following the attack, before her next of kin were informed – contravening police media policy and procedures around informing families after a death. According to comments Hadley made to the Daily Telegraph, and previously on 3AW radio, that confirmation came from the NSW police commissioner, Karen Webb.
On Tuesday afternoon, also separate to the inquest proceedings, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission released a statement saying it had investigated an allegation that on the day of the attack, Webb 'breached the NSW Police Force Media Policy by releasing the confidential details of a deceased person to Ray Hadley of 2GB Radio, prior to the deceased's next of kin being notified'.
'The investigation was concluded in March 2025 and the Commission was satisfied that there was no misconduct by the Commissioner of Police in relation to this matter,' the commission stated.
In court, McKenna praised chief inspector Christopher Whalley – who took initial lead as 'forward commander' on the day – for his 'calm' and 'sound decisions' made in the midst of 'extraordinarily chaotic, traumatic scenes'.
'As a forward commander, you are well aware when you walk into something like this that you have to have accurate information … you know you have to report up accurately because that will be required as part of your role,' McKenna told the court.
Whalley oversaw a 5.30pm interagency briefing that was criticised by an expert witness for being 'too late'. The attack started at 3.33pm and ended when Scott shot Cauchi at 3.38pm.
No matter how much training police undertake before an active armed offender incident, McKenna said, 'no one knows how they're going to react until they're actually faced with it'.
'It goes without saying that I think detective inspector Scott performed her duties admirably that day … it is a level of bravery which is right up there with anything I've ever seen,' he said, adding that her actions were 'textbook' and 'absolutely perfect'.
He said he had never encountered 'anything' like the mass stabbing at Bondi Junction and that the incident was 'absolutely' difficult to train for.
'We did a lot of training in the years leading up to this. Not only was Amy's response picture perfect but all of the police who went in there that day … acted bravely and appropriately,' he said.
'I sit here very proud.'