This is a summer that Australians want to forget. Australia was shocked and outraged by last month’s Bondi massacre of the innocents by Islamist fanatics. Its government and parliament have descended into angry chaos in Bondi’s wake. Massive bushfires devastated much of the states of Victoria and New South Wales this month, and a tropical cyclone brought destruction to parts of Queensland. And, on a smaller but no less frightening scale, sharks have been terrorising Australia’s east coast, and the Sydney area in particular.

In less than 48 hours this week, there were four shark attacks injuring people. Two occurred off the northern Sydney beaches of Dee Why and Manly. The Dee Why victim was not seriously injured, and managed to ward off his attacker. The Manly victim, a young surfer, was severely maimed and his leg could not be saved. His attack happened shortly after 13-year-old boy had a chunk bitten out of his surfboard.

The fourth attack was actually inside Sydney Harbour, where shark attacks are very rare. A 12-year-old boy was swimming not far off a beach in the eastern suburb of Vaucluse when he was attacked and severely mauled around his arms and torso. The boy was left critically injured........

© The Spectator