Australians step up in a crisis. We have proven that time and again; after bushfires, floods or shocking acts of violence, stories of quiet heroism, generosity, and kindness emerge.
The response from everyday Australians to the attacks in Bondi is no exception: extraordinary displays of bravery, strangers running towards danger, long lines to donate blood, people opening their homes, wallets and arms to help people they have never met.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke in his post-election victory speech earlier this year about both ‘kindness’ and ‘courage in adversity’ as being Australian values. Tragedies like this invite us to ask what that really means – not just as individuals, but for our government too.
Because if they are genuinely Australian values, kindness and courage cannot remain sentimental concepts that rely exclusively on the goodwill of citizens. At a national level, they should be evidenced through policy, prioritisation, and what the government chooses to protect, prevent and act on longer-term, even when it is politically hard or economically uncomfortable.
Yesterday’s federal announcements to strengthen hate-speech laws, including protections in religious contexts, demonstrate that the government can act decisively when it chooses to. But laws alone will not guarantee safety.
Without careful implementation, sustained political will, and leadership that reinforces social cohesion beyond moments of crisis, protections intended to reduce harm risk becoming symbolic rather than transformative. They may also reassure some, while deepening fear, mistrust or exclusion for others.
A political mandate is an opportunity and a test
At a national level, kindness and courage should be reflected not only in legislation and policy choices, but in the everyday behaviour of our leaders too – in how power is exercised, accountability is upheld, and people are treated when the cameras are off.
Until this tragedy broke the news cycle, the government had been swimming in headlines pointing to self-interest, impunity and entitlement – from travel expenditure to the “jobs for mates” report – rather than the type of reforms that matched the scale of its mandate. A parliamentary majority of the size won by Albanese in May this year offered the rare political space to exercise both kindness and courage. Yet to date, that opportunity has not translated into bold action.
This model of leadership is not hypothetical
After the Christchurch mosque attacks in 2019, New Zealand’s then Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, showed the world how to lead with humanity in the face of terror. Ardern’s response was not performative; it was decisive, empathetic, and deeply respectful. It centred victims and moved quickly to reduce harm and community division.
That moment remains a powerful example of how leaders can respond to tragedy with both compassion and fortitude. It showed how kindness and empathy can become their own form of strength and power.
Looking ahead to 2026
As Australia approaches a new year, in the wake of the Bondi tragedy, we have an opportunity to reset – not by lowering ambition, but by sharpening it.
A kind and courageous country does not outsource compassion to its citizens while insulating those in power from accountability. If these values are to be more than abstract ideals or fleeting traits shown in times of crisis, they must operate as governing standards, expressed through prevention, protection, and political resolve across a range of fronts.
So what does a kind and courageous country actually look like?
Kindness and courage mean prevention, not reaction. A kind and courageous country does not wait for tragedy before it responds. Instead, it commits to sustained reform, long-term funding and accountability.
Kindness in government does not mean the absence of consequences. It means systems that are fair, transparent and trusted. It is demonstrated through commitment and consistency, not just announcements made in the glare of headlines, and defined by meaningful action taken to reduce harm, protect the vulnerable, and prevent the next crisis.
It must also be visible in the everyday behaviour of our leaders – not only in what they publicly announce, but in what they refuse to tolerate, excuse or quietly normalise.
Kindness and courage mean tackling harm that hides in plain sight
Some of the greatest harms in Australia are not sudden or shocking. They are slow, normalised and politically difficult.
A kind country takes violence seriously in all its forms – including violence against women. It invests early in mental health services that are accessible, properly funded, and available before people reach crisis point. It treats care as necessary infrastructure, not charity.
Kindness and courage mean choosing people over profit. A kind country does not rely on revenue generated from gambling addiction while families, relationships, and livelihoods quietly collapse, nor indefinitely defer reform because powerful interests make delay politically convenient.
Kindness and courage mean acting before the damage is done
A kind and courageous country does not knowingly pass on escalating climate change impacts onto future generations. It does not ask communities to absorb repeated disasters as part of an inevitable cost of living in this country. Instead, kindness and courage in this context is shown by stepping up to take credible climate action that matches the scale of the challenge – not because it polls well, but because it is the right thing to do for the people who will live with the consequences long after a parliamentary term ends.
Kindness and courage mean staying the course, even when the conversation moves on
A kind and courageous country does not shy away from responsibility because progress is considered difficult. It does not confuse the outcome of a vote with the end of its obligation. It does not allow silence to replace commitment when trust has already been stretched thin, nor allow polarisation and ostracism to go unchallenged.
In the aftermath of the Voice to Parliament referendum in 2023, many First Nations Australians have been left feeling abandoned. The national conversation moved on quickly; the underlying injustices did not. Kindness and courage here look like persistence, responsibility, and meaningful action – not disengagement.
Kindness and courage protect dignity in divisive times
A kind and courageous country understands that respect is not a culture war issue, but the baseline of a functional democracy. We are living through a period where diversity, equity, and inclusion are increasingly framed as threats rather than foundations for society; where respect is politicised, and belonging is conditional. A kind and courageous country does not pull back from the idea that everyone deserves dignity, safety, and respect.
Crises do not just test governments – they define them
Some governments are forged in moments of crisis; others are diminished by them. A crisis brings clarity to what leaders value, what they are willing to confront, and whose interests are ultimately prioritised. In moments like this, leadership presents a choice: to deepen cohesion or allow division to harden.
With the new year approaching, and in the wake of this tragedy, Albanese has an opportunity to reset the narrative and demonstrate a form of political strength that endures: one where kindness, paired with courage, shapes decisions that make Australia more just, secure, and humane. Not as a slogan, but as a legacy.
Australians have already shown what kindness and courage looks like in practice. The response to events in Bondi reminds us of that.
The challenge now sits with our leaders and institutions: whether those values will be reflected in how our country is governed or confined to moments of national grief. Because if kindness and courage truly are Australian values, they should be visible in the way power is exercised, reforms are pursued, and people are protected long after the crisis has passed.