The Commissioner

The Hon Virginia Bell AC SC

Photo of The Hon Virginia Bell AC, SC sitting in a chair

Virginia Bell served as a Justice of the High Court of Australia for 12 years from February 2009. At the date of her appointment, she was a judge of the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

After graduating in law, she practiced as a solicitor for 7 years with the Redfern Legal Centre, which was the first community law centre in New South Wales. She was admitted to the Bar in 1984.

Between 1994 and 1997 she was counsel assisting the Royal Commission into the New South Wales Police Service. In 1998 she was made senior counsel. She was appointed to the Supreme Court of New South Wales in March 1999.

In 2012, she was made a Companion of the Order of Australia for eminent service to the judiciary and the law through judicial administration, and as an advocate for the economically and socially disadvantaged.

In 2022, she conducted an inquiry for the Australian Government into the appointment of the former prime minister to administer multiple departments of state.