Removing an in-house intelligence analyst from a firearms licensing authority left gaps that posed a significant risk to public safety before the Bondi terror attack, an inquiry has been told.
NSW Police assistant commissioner Kirsty Heyward, who oversees police prosecutions and licensing enforcement, fronted the Royal Commission on Anti-Semitism and Social Cohesion on Wednesday.
The commission was told a senior intelligence analyst was staffed to the NSW Firearms Registry but removed in November 2021 because the role was deemed unnecessary.
The position remained vacant until February 2025.
In 2023, the then-manager of licensing services at the registry found the lack of an intelligence resource created "risks to public safety due to capability gaps", counsel assisting Richard Lancaster said.
That manager reported performing intelligence support himself on an "ad hoc" basis because he happened to be trained in the field, the inquiry was told.
