The Chief Justice of New South Wales has issued a sharp rebuke to a former prime minister over comments regarding a pro-Palestine protest. Chief Justice Andrew Bell described Tony Abbott’s criticism of a recent court decision as "regrettable, misconceived, and ignorant."

The dispute centers on a judge’s ruling about a planned march on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Bell clarified that the judge did not make the decision to close the bridge herself. Instead, her role was to weigh specific legal rights rather than hand down a political judgment.

Furthermore, the Chief Justice warned against "simplistic" personal attacks on the judiciary. He noted that some judges have recently received death threats, and argued that such public hostility undermines the community's trust in the legal system.