The close timing of the stabbings at Bondi that saw six people murdered on Saturday, and the fortunately non-fatal stabbing attack at Wakeley on Monday night, inevitably focused attention on what constitutes terrorism. The latter attack has been deemed terrorism; the former hasn’t, at least at this stage.
Much hinges on declaring an event terrorism. In NSW, it means police are given draconian powers to infringe basic civil liberties, such as warrantless searches. The definition of an act of terror is also extraordinarily vague and includes actions that are already criminal offences, such as causing serious physical harm, causing serious damage to property, causing death or endangering a life, creating a serious risk to public safety, or sabotaging electronic and financial infrastructure.
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