ASIO Chief Steps Down, Royal Commission on Antisemitism Continues

0:00In Sydney, it's March 11th. Here's what is happening. Dennis Richardson, the former head of Australia's Domestic Spy Agency ASIO, has stepped down as Special Advisor to the Royal Commission on Antisemitism. This comes just weeks before Commissioner Virginia Bell delivers her interim report on how intelligence and police agencies handle threats. Bell announced the resignation in a statement on Wednesday night. Richardson was brought on for his deep expertise and security matters, helping guide what information to pull from agencies to check their readiness. For attacks, his team included Tony Shehan, ex-counterterrorism coordinator, and Peter Baxter, former defense official. Thanks to their work, the report is already well underway. The commission stems from the tragic Bondi Beach attack last December 14, where 15 people died during a Hanukkah event. Prime Minister Anthony Albinese first tapped Richardson for a targeted review, but later agreed to a full royal commission amid public pressure. Bell praised Richardson's contributions and noted that Shehan and Baxter

1:02will stick around to finalize the interim report. She expects it to come out on schedule as planned. No word yet from Richardson himself, but officials seem confident the probe will move forward smoothly despite the shake-up. The Daily News Now is presented by our sponsor, Headphones in a Pillow. Once you try it, it just makes sense. S-O-L-L-I-SOLYPILLOW.COM