Witness tells racism inquiry in Perth about poor response to January 26 incident

A witness, Isaacs-Guthridge, testifies at a racism inquiry in Perth, describing what she characterises as inadequate public and institutional responses to a January 26 incident. In her evidence, she contrasts that response with the national reaction to the Bondi terror attack a month earlier, which prompted widespread attention and support. The witness says the comparison shows a mismatch in how events involving different communities are handled and responded to. She uses the phrase “we should be dead” while giving account of the seriousness of the January 26 incident and the impact it had on those involved. The testimony is presented as part of the inquiry’s examination of racism, including how reports and concerns are addressed and how systems respond in practice. The outlets reporting the case focus on the witness’s central point: that while the Bondi attack attracts major national focus, the January 26 incident did not receive the same level of urgency or response, according to her evidence.