Victoria Police has removed a key member of its royal commission legal team because he did not agree with the force's continued requests to suppress material from public disclosure.

The Age understands the highly respected barrister warned the force it was withholding too much information at the inquiry into police informers.

The decision to replace Queen’s counsel Brendan Murphy comes amid growing unrest at the royal commission about Victoria Police’s use of public interest immunity claims to block public disclosures related to how Nicola Gobbo’s work as a police informer may have compromised numerous criminal convictions.

The commission has heard repeated complaints about long delays and redactions by police after they are ordered to turn over material, which is disrupting the schedule of hearings and cross-examination of witnesses.