Dennis Richardson’s resignation from the antisemitism royal commission has been widely portrayed as a setback, but the episode raises deeper questions about the inquiry.

Much is being made of the resignation of Dennis Richardson from the Royal Commission into antisemitism. Without exception commentators are painting his departure as a negative for the Commission, just as public submissions roll in. Our media, ever reliable for damaging unprofessionalism, have been anxious to join in – showing little understanding of the role that Richardson was expected to play.

The Albanese government set up the Bell Commission after the Bondi attack to comprehend the cause of antisemitism in Australia and methodically deal with it. That priority is reflected in the first element of the government’s terms of reference:

i. investigating the nature and prevalence of antisemitism in institutions and society, and examining its key drivers in Australia, including religious and ideologically motivated extremism and radicalisation, including in the lead up to the antisemitic Bondi terrorist attack on 14 December 2025;

i. investigating the nature and prevalence of antisemitism in institutions and society, and examining its key drivers in Australia, including religious and ideologically motivated extremism and radicalisation, including in the lead up to the antisemitic Bondi terrorist attack on 14 December 2025;

Only with a genuine understanding of these basics can a response be........

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