Furious footballer Alastair Clarkson hits out at Australia’s failure to deal with “societal scourge” he says is behind Bondi stabbing attack

Alastair Clarkson has hit out at Australia’s failure to deal with drug and alcohol-related violence after the Bondi Junction stabbing that shocked the nation.

The North Melbourne coach was visibly emotional on Sunday when asked about the horrific incident before his side’s game with Geelong.

Earlier in the day it had been revealed that one of the victims, Ashlee Good, was the daughter of former North Melbourne big man Kerry Good.

The 38-year-old died hours after she and her young daughter were stabbed in the shocking attack.

Good’s family have confirmed that the baby is now ‘doing well’ after emergency surgery.

Queensland man Joel Cauchi, 40, was responsible for the attack and was known to have mental health problems and an obsession with knives.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said investigators will investigate whether Cauchi was under the influence of drugs at the time of the attack.

Clarkson was emotional when discussing the tragedy and mentioned recent unrelated incidents in Victoria involving the deaths of Samantha Murphy and Hannah McGuire.

– It is of course difficult for the Good family to deal with that tragedy. It’s hard for all of us to deal with, he said.

‘You’re just sick of it to be fair. We have three families in Ballarat grieving. We get the same after every one of them, drugs or alcohol, and yet as a society, as a government, we say, “Our fellow Australians, we mourn our lost again”.

‘When will it actually change? When will people actually do something about this scourge on society that is drugs and alcohol?

“The government is not doing anything about it to the extent that they should. Drugs are a problem in our sport and we are not doing enough about it and we should. And it cripples society. And this is one of the best countries in the world, but we can do something about it. But we just tolerate it and don’t stand up to it.

Queensland man Joel Cauchi (pictured) was shot dead by a lone policewoman after killing six people at Bondi Junction Westfield on Saturday afternoon

Clarkson (pictured) called for tougher laws around alcohol and drug-related violence

‘And then tragedies like this happen and it’s just… I really feel for everyone associated with it. I feel for the families in Ballarat.

‘I spent three years in the Ballarat area as a child going to school and to think that the community, the beautiful, close-knit community, they’re hurting too.

“In this country it shouldn’t happen like this. We have to do something about it. It is not one person. There has to be a whole bunch of people encouraging… Our justice system doesn’t… so many times they say, “Oh yeah, he was out on bail or parole” or whatever. It just has to stop. It has to stop.

‘Poor little girl, Harriet, without her mother now. Ash Good was a beautiful, beautiful lady.

‘A bloody tragedy. A bloody tragedy.’

Roos president Sonja Hood said the club was ‘extremely saddened’ by the incident in Bondi.

“Like all Australians, we were horrified to see the horrific details that came out of Sydney on Saturday,” Hood said.

“Learning later that Ashlee and her daughter were victims in this tragedy really brings something like this close to home.

Kerry Good played for North Melbourne in the VFL in the 1970s and 1980s

“Our thoughts and condolences go out to all those affected by the terrible events, especially Ashlee’s partner Daniel Flanagan, Kerry and Dian, Ashlee’s mother Denise and Ashlee’s extended family and friends.

“Kerry and his family are incredibly important people in our club’s history and we offer them our love and support through an incredibly difficult time.”

Good was well known in the Melbourne community and close friends with former Demons player Steve Febey, who posted a heartbreaking tribute to her on Sunday morning.

“Words fail me, absolutely heartbroken,” Febey wrote on social media alongside a series of photos of herself and Good together.

‘Can’t understand how this could happen to the most amazing, beautiful and caring person.

‘I will always cherish our friendship, five stars and the good times we shared. Love you forever Ash xx.’