On Sunday, the New South Wales police launched a permanent special unit to patrol tourist areas, crowded public spaces, major events, sporting matches and places of worship – armed with military rifles.

The new patrol unit was promised in the wake of the Bondi terror attack and has been welcomed by sections of the Jewish community, with police saying it aims to deter threats and better position police to respond to armed offender attacks. But the decision to heavily arm the unit has been met with a mixed response from experts and civil liberties groups, with some warning against the potential for “mission creep” and the “American-style militarisation of our police force”.