Community update following the Bondi Junction Westfield attack
14 April 2024
Last updated Tuesday 23 April, 6.50am
Information about finding support if you have been impacted by the Bondi Junction attack.
Updates will be posted on our Facebook page.
Public condolences
- The people of NSW are invited to come together and sign an online condolence book in honour of those affected at www.nsw.gov.au/bondicondolences
Overview of support
A dedicated phone line for victims of the Bondi Junction incident has been established. Please call 1800 019 123 from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Helpful resources:
- NSW Health have specialist disaster-trained clinicians at Bondi Junction.
- The NSW Mental Health Line is available 24/7, with specialist staff available to speak to anyone affected by the attack. Call 1800 011 511
- Members of the community can also contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636
- Victims Support Scheme Quick Guide for primary victims, secondary victims and parents, step-parents and guardians of a child victims
- Family victims support fact sheet
- Understanding the Victims Support Scheme – an Easy Read Guide
- NSW Police have assigned a Family Liaison Officer to support each impacted family of the deceased
- Victims can access support through the NSW Government’s Victims Support Scheme Please see below for more detailed information
- Australian Red Cross have a multi-lingual resource with information for communities, parents and caregivers after a distressing event has happened. It's available in Arabic | Farsi | Hebrew | Kurdish | Nepali | Russian | Somali | Swahili | Turkish | Ukrainian.
- 13YARN is an Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders crisis support line. Available 24/7 on 13 92 76.
Victims Support Scheme
The Victims Support Scheme provides counselling, financial assistance and a recognition payment to victims of an act of violence in NSW.
Support is available through the scheme for the families of those who have lost their lives and those who have been affected by the violent acts at Bondi Junction.
What support is available?
- Counselling to help victims recover from the psychological and emotional impacts of a crime.
- Financial assistance for immediate needs to help cover urgent health, safety or security expenses resulting from the violent crime.
- Financial assistance for economic loss to cover other expenses resulting from a violent crime.
- Assistance to pay for funeral expenses on behalf of family members of a homicide victim.
- A recognition payment to acknowledge the violent crime.
Who can access victims support?
The type of support available for those who have been impacted by the acts of violence at Bondi Junction will depend on their situation but anyone at the centre at the time of the attack will be considered a secondary victim and then be eligible for counselling. Find out how to access support here.
Primary victims who have been injured:
- Counselling
- Financial assistance for immediate needs
- Financial assistance for economic loss
- A recognition payment.
Secondary victims who are witnesses can access counselling.
A parent, step-parent or guardian of a child who was injured can access financial assistance for economic loss that directly resulted from the act of violence, and counselling.
Family victims (an immediate family member of a homicide victim) can access:
- counselling
- financial assistance for immediate needs
- financial assistance for justice-related expenses
- financial assistance to help with funeral expenses of the victim
- Eligible family victims may also receive a recognition payment.
A relative of a homicide victim, not considered a family victim, who is affected by the victim’s death (extended family member) can access counselling.
Donations
Many in the community have generously reached out, enquiring as to how they can contribute financially to the victims or to causes that support them. Please see below on how you can make a donation, either to the families affected, or to local mental health services that will benefit from your donations as they continue to support our community.
Support the victims and their families: GoFundMe have now published a page with verified fundraisers for families of victims of the Westfield Bondi Junction attack. You can donate here: Donate to Westfield Bondi fundraisers (gofundme.com)
Lifeline Bondi: Lifeline Eastern Suburbs – Bondi, located within Westfield Bondi Junction, opened in August 2022 to provide vital support locally and to the national crisis support service through telephone Crisis Supporter volunteering. Lifeline Bondi offers confidential assistance from a Lifeline Crisis Supporter via 13 11 14 for phone support, or 0477 13 11 14 for text support. They also offer an online chat service at https://www.lifeline.org.au/crisis-chat/. This service is accessible 24/7, free of charge, and available nationwide. Donate to Lifeline Bondi here: https://lifelinebondi.raisely.com/
Headspace Bondi Junction: Headspace Bondi Junction provides early intervention services to young people 12 to 25 years. Their range of services includes mental, physical and sexual health, drug and alcohol information and support as well as vocational and educational assistance along with care coordination by our Youth Access Team. The centre offers these to young people in one youth-friendly location. Their services are free of charge. Donate to Headspace Bondi Junction here: https://fundraising.headspace.org.au/event/fundraising-for-headspace-bondi-junction
This Way Up: This Way Up is an online mental health platform from St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, developed by experts and available 24/7. The platform is specifically designed to support you in navigating life’s challenging times. They offer a range of online treatment programs for those experiencing ongoing difficulties with anxiety, depression, insomnia, and stress. These programs are available 24/7, providing flexible access from anywhere, designed to fit into your life and offer real relief. Donate to This Way Up here: https://www.supportstvincents.com.au/this-way-up/
The Junction Neighbourhood Centre (JNC): JNC has provided local services for people and communities in the Eastern Suburbs for 50 years. They operate from community hubs in Bondi Junction and Maroubra, working to address social isolation and create connections in our local communities. They provide services for the whole community, including families with children, older people living in the community and women and families who have experienced domestic and family violence. In the aftermath of the horrific incident at Westfield Bondi Junction, JNC are providing information and support for community members, linking people to specialist counselling services and providing a safe and quiet space for people to get support. You can find them at 59 Newland Street Bondi Junction Monday-Thursday each week. Donate to JNC here: https://jnc.org.au/jnc-donations/
Westfield Bondi Junction Collecting personal belongings
Scentre Group is working with NSW Police on customer access to personal belongings. All lost property has been transferred to Waverley Police Station, 150 Bronte Road, Waverley. Please contact them directly to collect your personal items on 02 9369 9899.