This week, in the wake of a frightening antisemitic arson attack at a childcare centre in Sydney, Australia’s chief of federal police, Reece Kershaw, made a surprising statement.

The commissioner said detectives were looking into the possibility that foreign actors had paid criminals for hire to carry out a number of similar attacks in Australia.

This sparked a political stoush - with the opposition demanding an explanation from the government, in the latest rift on this hotbed issue as we approach a federal election.

Today, federal political correspondent Paul Sakkal on how this unfolded and what police are now focusing on. 

• For more, read 'Police investigating "criminals for hire" links to antisemitic attacks' on The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.

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