Virginia Bell

Virginia Margaret Bell (born 7 March 1951) is a retired Australian judge. She is a former Justice of the High Court of Australia, the highest court in the Australian court hierarchy. She was sworn in on 3 February 2009, and retired on 28 February 2021.

Previously a public defender, she assisted in the Wood Royal Commission into the New South Wales Police Service from 1995 until 1999. She was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 1999, before being appointed to the High Court. After her retirement, in 2022, she led an inquiry into former prime minister Scott Morrison's self-appointment to several ministerial positions. In 2026, Prime Minister Albanese selected her to lead a Royal Commission into antisemitism in Australia and social cohesion, following the 2025 Bondi Beach shooting.

Early life and education Virginia Margaret Bell was born on 7 March 1951 in Sydney, New South Wales, the daughter of a naval captain, John Bell. As a child, she lived for some years at the Garden Island naval base in Sydney, where her father was general manager.

As a young woman, Bell was a prominent advocate of prison reform, and a member of the group Women Behind Bars. and was involved in several landmark civil liberties cases. She was also instrumental in the establishment of the Prisoners' Legal Service.

Between 1982 and 1984, Bell was a member of the Board of Governors of the Law Foundation. She also served as chair of the University of Wollongong Law Faculty Advisory Committee from 2007 to 2008. She was sworn in on 3 February 2009. She was the 48th person and the fourth woman appointed to the High Court since the federation of Australia in 1901.

Significant cases Bell was one of six High Court Justices who presided over the case Monis v The Queen in 2013, which was headed by Chief Justice Robert French. The case dealt with implied freedom of political communication, examining the constitutionality of a law that prevents people from targeting others through the mail using "offensive and harassing speech". In their judgments, Bell and the two other justices upheld this law, while three justices (including French) dissented.

Other activities Bell has long been involved in the LGBT and human rights issues, participating in the first Mardi Gras LGBT rights rally in Sydney in 1978, which was broken up by police. In 1979 she participated in the inaugural "Gays and the Law" forum as part of the National Summer Offensive for Gay Rights, where she advocated for the equal right of lesbian prisoners to conjugal visits.

Bell is a lover of theatre, and known for her sense of humour. Under the stage name "Ginger de Winter", she was barrel-spinner on television game shows, and was president of the "Australian Barrel Girls Association".

Speeches Bell has been called upon to give a number of addresses and lectures during her time at the High Court, the transcripts of which are available online. These include: 2013: "Section 80 - The Great Constitutional Tautology", for The Lucinda Lecture, Monash University 2015: "Magna Carta – Resonances in the Common Law of Australia", Spring Conversazione, Melbourne The report was published on 25 November.

Royal Commission into anti-Semitism

On 8 January 2026, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, following the 2025 Bondi Beach shooting, to be led by Bell. Its terms of reference and overall direction have been supported by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the Zionist Federation of Australia, and the Business Council of Australia.

Mr. Albanese said that the appointment had been decided after consultation and discussion, after looking at over a dozen suggested names. However, there was nobody else of Bell's standing, as a former High Court justice and who has a background in criminal law and is "widely respected across the board". While various mainstream media have reported that some Jewish Australians wanted a commissioner whom they saw may be more sympathetic to anti-Semitism concerns, and Liberal politician Josh Frydenberg expressed his disagreement with the choice, the Law Council of Australia, which had advocated for the establishment of the Royal Commission, expressed appreciation for her appointment. LCA president Tania Wolff said that she is "an eminent Australian jurist", and that "the conduct of royal commissions are governed by clear and well-established legal principles... In Australia, judges decide matters impartially and independently, by applying the law to the evidence before them. They do not act on personal views, political considerations, or public pressure". Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said "Her experience speaks for itself". Kate Hannon wrote in The Sydney Morning Herald that her appointment was "welcomed as redressing a lack of criminal law expertise on the bench of Australia's superior court, and as going some way towards correcting the gender imbalance".

Personal life As of 2009 Bell was living in inner Sydney with her partner, a barrister.

Bell has retained a strong interest in the arts and theatre throughout her life.