Commissioner: Police Have 'A Duty to Keep Learning' From Lindt Cafe Siege Inquest

The NSW Police Force will “work quickly but carefully” to assess 28 recommendations laid down by the NSW Coroner on Wednesday, May 24, as an inquest into the Lindt Cafe Siege came to a close in Sydney.

Police Commissioner Mick Fuller formally acknowledged the coroner’s findings in a press conference at 3:30 pm.

“Today, my thoughts and prayers remain with their loved ones, the courageous hostages, their families and also our officers,” Fuller said. “And while acknowledging the loss of those two wonderful people, we have a duty to keep learning, to keep improving – to do whatever we can to protect the community from acts of terror.”

In accepting NSW Coroner Michael Barnes’ findings, Fuller defended the role of those officers acting on the belief attacker Man Haron Monis had a bomb in his possession.

" I believe it should never be lost that the potential for a bomb underlined every action taken by police during the siege," Fuller said. “I believe criticism that ignores that fact, is unfair to all officers involved.”

In his findings, Barnes said it was “unclear” whether Monis was motivated by Islamic State but that it was evidently an “act of terrorism”, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Credit: NSW Police Force via Storyful