Anthony Albanese cut a lonely political figure laying a small bunch of flowers at Bondi on Monday morning, as the question confronted the nation: could more have been done by leaders, and the community, to prevent this tragedy?
Opinions will differ, and what we learn about the perpetrators will affect judgements. Despite this being an act of terrorism, on the evidence so far the father and son were not formally linked to a terrorist group.
But without doubt, the massacre is the horrific culmination of the antisemitism epidemic that has spread like a wildfire in Australia.
