Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has called for tougher action on crime in response to the incident and says the coalition will urge the federal government to introduce compulsory sentencing for those convicted of terrorism-related offences when parliament returns on Tuesday.
"We want to send an absolute message of deterrence to these people who would think that committing an act of this atrocious nature is somehow acceptable in our country," he told reporters in Alice Springs on Thursday.
"This is a deeply concerning matter."
The revelation of an apparent discovery in NSW of a caravan laden with explosives intended for a synagogue is as sickening as it is horrifying. It is a grave and sinister escalation in this insidious rise of unchecked antisemitism in our country.— Peter Dutton (@PeterDutton_MP) January 29, 2025
The caravan was packed with enough explosives for a 40-metre-wide blast and sat abandoned for 12 days on a semi-rural road at Dural in northwest Sydney before being discovered on January 19 with a note that contained anti-Semitic sentiments and listed "Jewish entities", police say.
The discovery triggered a multi-agency investigation involving more than 100 counter-terrorism officers.
The probe and the vehicle's discovery were not made public for 10 days, drawing criticism from Mr Dutton.
"The prime minister needs to show national leadership here to deal with that crisis," he said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese would not go into details but said it was necessary to provide agencies with operational control and he noted the National Security Committee held a meeting on Thursday morning.
"I take the advice of the police and national security agencies for when those matters become public so that we ensure that ongoing investigations are not undermined," he told reporters in Melbourne.
"This is a time for unity and for the country to come together against these atrocities and this appalling act - not a time to look for political partisanship or to make political points."
Police have not officially designated the incident a terrorist event but Mr Albanese said he agreed with the NSW Premier Chris Minns' use of the terrorism label.
"It's clearly designed to harm people, but it's also designed to create fear in the community and that is the very definition," the prime minister said.
Mr Minns said most Australians rejected such "hate-filled activity".
"There are some terrible people in our community, I'm ashamed to say it, but that's the truth. Bad morals, bad ethics, bad people will commit these acts, but Australians stand united against this appalling racism."
The caravan's discovery is among the latest in a series of incidents targeting the Jewish community.
Cars have been set alight, a synagogue burnt down and anti-Semitic slurs painted on buildings and cars in a spate of attacks that have escalated in frequency and severity since December.
The coalition has consistently called for mandatory jail time for those who commit terrorism offences or display hate symbols, but legal experts have expressed concerns about the proposal.
The Australian Human Rights Commission notes Australia has international obligations to promote equality and freedom from discrimination and to protect freedom of expression.
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