Risk of ‘catastrophic consequence' in response to Bondi attack probed in inquest

News.com.au

29-04-2025

The declaration of Westfield as a 'hot zone', which could have had 'a catastrophic consequence' in the fatal Bondi attack, is being probed, with questions raised about the adequacy of communications between police and ambulance.
Joel Cauchi, 40, killed six people and injured 10 during a stabbing rampage at the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre in Sydney's east on April 13, 2024.
Dawn Singleton, Yixuan Cheng, Faraz Ahmed Tahir, Ashlee Good, Jade Young and Pikria Darchia were all killed in the attack.
Inspector Amy Scott, working alone, shot Cauchi dead during the incident and is credited with saving multiple lives as a result.
A five-week coronial inquest into Cauchi's 'state of mind' both before the fatal attack and on the day, including whether he may have targeted any particular individuals or groups, began on Monday.
A senior police officer who attended the shopping centre following the attack, NSW Police Chief Inspector Christopher Whalley, was questioned about the communications between the police force and NSW Ambulance on the day.
Counsel assisting NSW state coroner Teresa O'Sullivan, Peggy Dwyer SC, suggested inter-agency communication could be improved going forward, with the court told police believed as of about 4.27pm there was only one armed offender.
However, just a minute earlier a NSW Ambulance directive was issued declaring the whole of Westfield was a 'hot zone'.
Under the directive, paramedics were ordered to leave the centre and 'stand down'.
While it is 'not suggested that there was any loss of life as a result', it is a learning exercise for any future mass tragedy, Ms Dwyer told the court on Monday.
'If there had been any severely injured individuals in need of urgent medical attention, any form of lockdown or restriction on access by first responders would obviously have the potential to compromise care and could've had a catastrophic consequence. Fortunately it did not,' she said.
Ms Dwyer questioned whether news there was just one offender should have been shared with NSW Ambulance earlier, potentially through a mechanism that allowed police radio messages to be provided to NSW Ambulance dispatches.
'I think there's the capacity for that to happen,' Inspector Whalley told the court.
'I'm also aware that Triple-Zero operators across the state were inundated with information in relation to this particular incident... but certainly yes, there's opportunity for that information to be shared, yes.'
The coroner then directly asked Inspector Whalley what he thought the best way to convey that information to NSW Ambulance at the 'earliest opportunity' would be.
'I think this incident, Your Honor, is very unique,' Inspector Whalley replied.
'There's possibilities... or rather opportunities, for information to be shared at various points.'
Cauchi was shot dead at about 3.38pm.
The court was told on Monday police radio broadcasts at 3.52pm and 3.58pm suggested police believed there may be a second offender, with the public order and riot squad acting on 'intelligence which suggested that there might be a possible offender on the rooftop car park' at about 4.15pm.
However, Ms Dwyer earlier noted the 'confusion' didn't appear to affect the 'survivability' of anyone.
Inspector Whalley arrived on the scene about 3.54pm that day, about 15 minutes after Cauchi was shot.
He told the court he met with Inspc Scott, and was 'satisfied that in her view...there was one offender'.
Witnesses from NSW Ambulance are expected to be called to give evidence on Wednesday.