One of Australia’s most senior Catholics has piled more pressure on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to call a broader inquiry into antisemitism.

Albanese has so far stared down a push from the families of Bondi Beach massacre victims, Jewish groups and legal minds for a national royal commission following the December 14 attack.

His government has instead set up a review into the adequacy of intelligence and law enforcement agencies, led by former ASIO boss Dennis Richardson.

Archbishop of Perth Timothy Costelloe has backed the review as an important step to ensure the attack is not repeated and identify and rectify any failures.

But he has spelled out the need to “name and confront the deeper roots and the extent of antisemitism in Australia and to propose ways to eradicate it”.

“It is only by shining a light into the dark corners of our society … that we can hope to unmask the antisemitism which might otherwise go unseen, unacknowledged and unaddressed,” the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference president said on Friday.

“For that reason, alongside the Richardson review, some form of wider, national inquiry with sufficient authority and resourcing which can probe into the deeper issues which lie at the heart of antisemitism is needed.”

Albanese remained unswayed on Thursday, after Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay waded into the debate to suggest a national probe was “essential”, saying only that she was entitled to her opinion.

After declaring he had been advised by “actual experts” to hold a departmental review, he was pressed for names. He cited Richardson as one, along with the heads of all security authorities.

While hosting the Australian and English cricket teams at Kirribilli House on Thursday night ahead of the Sydney Ashes Test, Albanese applauded the national response to the atrocity.

“Australians have shown courage, they’ve shown commitment, they’ve shown kindness to each other, they’ve reached out and wrapped their arms around the Jewish community,” he said.

The gathering of about a million people around the Sydney Harbour foreshore for New Year’s Eve celebrations was a sign of Australians’ “defiance” and the Sydney Test would be the next example, Albanese said.

-AAP