Rules around sensitive information ‘impeding’ interim report into Bondi terror attack, head of antisemitism royal commission warns

Antisemitism royal commissioner Virginia Bell warned parliamentary inquiry of legislative gap just days before resignation of former spy chief Dennis Richardson Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The retired judge heading the royal commission into antisemitism and the Bondi beach massacre warned the government that rules blocking access to sensitive secret information were “impeding” the work of her team, in particular the preparation of an interim report on security and intelligence failures due at the end of April. The commissioner, Virginia Bell, relayed the message in a letter just days before the former spy chief Dennis Richardson, who was supposed to be critical to the interim report, abruptly resigned from the national inquiry. Richardson said the absence of the protections was not a factor in his decision, instead insisting he had become “surplus to requirements” after his initial job was folded into the wider royal commission, and suggesting he quit because he was not able to make a meaningful contribution to that inquiry. But the Coalition opposition has warned the royal commission, fo