Bondi attack security costs NSW $53.7 million in 10 months
Operation Shelter, the high-risk policing program, cost $53.7 million in 10 months after the December 2025 Bondi attack.
The cost of round-the-clock armed security at places of worship, schools and community hubs in NSW has hit $53.7 million in the 10 months since the December 2025 Bondi Beach terror attack. Operation Shelter, established two years earlier, had cost $4.1 million annually before the attack but shot up to $41.8 million for the full 2025/26 financial year.
Almost 97 per cent of costs come from police-related expenses, including shifts, overtime, penalties and allowances. NSW Police now plans to replace Shelter with a permanent Armed Response Command carrying assault rifles, which cost $94.3 million to establish with IT, vehicles and weapons.
The ARC will grow to 250 officers over the next year, with operational costs to be absorbed by the government. The Bondi attack killed 15 people, mostly at a Chanukah gathering.
- $53.7 million for Operation Shelter
- 10-month cost
- 15 people killed
- Attack deaths
- $94.3 million to establish
- ARC setup cost
- December 14, 2025
- When it happened
Why it mattersThe surge shows the sustained cost of post-attack security and how terror incidents reshape policing budgets and strategy for years.
AustraliaNSW taxpayers fund the security response, while visible armed police and weapon systems have become permanent fixtures at public gatherings across the state.
Corroborated bytheage.com.au·watoday.com.au
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 h ago
