Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has opened the door to the possibility of a federal royal commission, pledging to do “everything that is possible” for national unity as Labor MPs say the government is expected to back down on previous objections.

Although no firm decision has been made, three sources familiar with thinking at the top of the government, including some who had spoken directly with him, said Albanese had indicated privately he was shifting on the issue and understood the need to back down on his firm stance that a rapid inquiry helmed by former ASIO boss Dennis Richardson would be the better option.

They all spoke on condition of anonymity to detail what they had learned privately.

Sources said ministerial advisers were actively working on what a potential new inquiry would probe, although government sources said no final decisions had been made.

A group of Labor MPs has been pushing behind the scenes for a royal commission for weeks.

“This is heading in one direction,” one government source said, stressing that nothing had been locked in yet.

Albanese appeared to be laying the ground for a more ambitious inquiry when asked about the growing calls for a royal commission at a press conference on Tuesday in Cloncurry, Queensland to announce flood relief.

While he insisted the rapid review into intelligence failures helmed by ex-ASIO boss Dennis Richardson was his number one priority, he added “we’re continuing to examine everything else that is required”.

“I continue to be engaged with leaders in the Jewish community. I’m talking and meeting on a daily basis with people to make sure that we do everything that is possible to, as I have said, what we need to do is to promote unity at this time, and that is my focus.”

Albanese said he was “talking to New South Wales” about how the state-based inquiry would run.

“We are engaged with the community as well as with the New South Wales government, to make sure that we get done everything that is required to make sure we build social cohesion back in this country.”

The prime minister did not rule out launching the inquiry, or repeat his previous objections that it would take too long and hurt national unity.

Albanese may change his position by expanding the Richardson review or creating a joint probe with NSW, but sources believe it is more likely he will enact a royal commission, the highest form of official inquiry.

Reports of the prime minister’s shift in thinking follow a change in language from cabinet ministers Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Health Minister Mark Butler, who emphasised they respect the many calls for a royal commission.

On Tuesday, former Labor frontbencher and army colonel Mike Kelly held a press conference in Canberra to warn that only a federal royal commission would give security officers the legal protections they need to tell the truth about what went wrong leading up to the Bondi Beach massacre.

The co-convener of the Labor Friends of Israel group urged Albanese to reverse course and launch a national inquiry that would cover both the attack and antisemitism, joining the families of Bondi victims, national and state Jewish community groups, more than 200 senior members of the Australian bar, over 100 captains of industry, the Business Council of Australia, the Law Council of Australia, Catholic bishops and prominent sports stars.

The former defence materiel minister, who had earlier signed his name to an open letter by Labor identities, said on Tuesday Albanese should seize the opportunity to listen to what MPs are hearing from their constituents as parliament returns in coming weeks.

“The government can then come out and say, look, we’ve heard what the community has to say. We’ve seen this new information, and we have decided now to act,” he told reporters.

“And we will give them all the credit in the world for recognising that. We don’t want to attack anybody here. We just want our country to be safe.”

Kelly confirmed Labor figures, who because of their current or former positions within the party did not want to comment publicly, were privately lobbying the prime minister to reverse course.

Albanese has at several press conferences rejected calls for a federal royal commission, arguing it would be lengthy, divisive and risk duplicating work already under way.

Kelly questioned the government’s argument that because many details of the case were known, further investigation was not necessary.

I still cannot see what they can legitimately investigate without it being a misues of the commission just doing political work for no reason.

On Tuesday, former Labor frontbencher and army colonel Mike Kelly held a press conference in Canberra to warn that only a federal royal commission would give security officers the legal protections they need to tell the truth about what went wrong leading up to the Bondi Beach massacre.

About bloody time! The pig-headed old goat!