Australian judge Virginia Bell, born 1951, is in the news for her role in recent inquiries into antisemitism and terror threats.
Australia is investigating a December 2025 mass shooting at a Jewish Hanukkah event in Bondi Beach that killed 15, with accused Naveed Akram facing terrorism and murder charges. A Royal Commission led by Virginia Bell began in February 2026 to examine the attack, antisemitism, and social cohesion, with a report due by December. Separately, a man in Western Australia was arrested in February for allegedly planning racially motivated attacks on mosques and government sites.