NSW Premier Chris Minns appeared on The Kyle & Jackie O Show this morning, as Australia prepares for a National Day of Mourning to honour the victims of the Bondi Beach attack.
The on-air exchange centred on resilience, community and how the country can mark the day, with Sandilands praising Minns’ response to the tragedy and asking how Australians can participate in the national commemoration.
Sandilands opened by acknowledging how Minns had handled the aftermath of the Bondi attack, telling the Premier he believed the response had resonated with the public.
“Some politicians have not come out of this looking that good. You’re not one of them. Everyone’s a big fan of the way you really rallied everyone together,” Sandilands said.
He said Minns had provided clarity at a time when people were looking for reassurance.
“You handled it so well. You were telling everyone what they needed to hear: that we needed to be safe, that we needed to keep an eye out for people who were trying to cause trouble for others. Respect for all communities, no matter what your religious background or your ethnic background is.”
Minns responded by shifting the focus from leadership to the community.
“I also think that there’s a lot to be said for how resilient Australians are in Sydney and also the Jewish community,” he said.
“They’ve been incredibly tough, incredibly resilient. They’re mourning, but they’ve done it with such grace and dignity that I think they’ve been an inspiration for the rest of us at the same time.”
A nation pauses together
Australia will come to a standstill on Thursday, 22 January 2026, as national institutions across Canberra and New South Wales light up and communities around the country join a coordinated National Day of Mourning.
Announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the day will honour the 15 people killed and all those impacted by the Bondi attack last month.
The program includes:
• A nationwide minute of silence at 7:01pm AEDT – the exact time the attack began.
• Public light installations across major cities.
• A call for Australians to perform acts of kindness in solidarity with the Jewish community.
• At the centre is 15 Pillars of Light, a symbolic installation staged in Canberra and other locations, with each pillar representing a life lost.
Major national institutions will be illuminated, turning Australia’s most recognisable buildings into beacons of remembrance and unity.
The practical and human side
Sandilands then asked Minns how Australians would mark the day.
“What’s planned today for the day of mourning for the survivors of the horrific Bondi situation?” he said.
He said the focus was not only on formal events, but on practical actions suggested by the community.
“One of the best things I think we could do is to take advice from the community,” Minns said.
“They’re recommending people do a mitzvah, which is just a good deed to someone, someone in the community – to make a donation, volunteer time – or what a lot of people, in fact, tens of thousands of people have done is donate blood.”
Minns then encouraged Sandilands to take part.
“If you’ve never done that before, Kyle, I’ve done it. Now’s your opportunity.”
Sandilands agreed, calling blood donation a meaningful way to help.
“And that’s a great thing to do, not just helping an old lady with her groceries, but giving someone the opportunity to survive in the future. Giving blood is a great idea. We should all go down and give blood.”
Why “mitzvah” matters
A mitzvah is a Jewish concept that means an act of kindness, compassion, and moral responsibility – not symbolic, but practical.
The Australian government has suggested the following 15 acts that everyday Australians can carryout:
A national memorial, shared everywhere
The official memorial, The Bondi Beach Attack Memorial Event, will take place at 7:00pm AEDT on Thursday.
It is being organised by Chabad of Bondi and will be invitation-only, but livestreamed via the organisation’s YouTube channel so Australians can participate from home.
For Sandilands, the scale of the loss – and the personal toll – is impossible to overstate.
“Premier, you’ve handled this whole situation. You met with a lot of the survivors, the families of those who lost people. How are they all coping with this?” he asked.
“It’s got to be the most difficult thing anyone’s ever gone through ever.”
National days of mourning are usually reserved for moments that rupture the collective. The kind that sit in the body long after the headlines move on.
This one is being framed not only as remembrance for those who were killed, but as recognition of the grief that continues to move through families, first responders, communities, and the wider Jewish population.