Susan Kiefel new High Court Justice (1 Viewer)

[Rafy]

Ruddock names new High Court judge

Australia's newest High Court judge will be Susan Kiefel - a lawyer from Cairns who left school at 14.

Justice Kiefel, 53, becomes only the third woman to ever sit on the highest court in the land.

Justice Kiefel has been a Federal Court judge since 1994 and before that was a justice of the Queensland Supreme Court.

Justice Kiefel's promotion will see two women on the seven-person bench for the first time - both named Susan.

The Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, said Justice Kiefel was appointed on the basis of merit. "She was the outstanding person for this position," he said.

The first ever woman to sit on the High Court was Mary Gaudron, who was appointed by the Hawke Government in 1987. She served until retiring in 2003. The Howard Government appointed Susan Crennan in 2005.

Justice Kiefel, who will take up her post on September 3, becomes the 46th person appointed to the High Court since Federation.

Mr Ruddock said Justice Kiefel had a "unique entry point to a judicial career" having left school at 14, coming to the law through the Barristers Board of Queensland and studying at Cambridge.

She has been a lecturer in ethics at the Bar Practice Centre in Queensland and a part-time hearing commissioner at the Human Rightsand Equal Opportunity Commission.

"She received strong support from those with whom I consulted, she is well-qualified and I look forward to her further contribution to the law," Mr Ruddock said.

She replaces Ian Callinan, who was appoointed to the High Court bench by the Government in February 1998 and retires on August 31 upon reaching his 70th birthday.

Five of the seven justices have been appointed by the Howard Government - the Chief Justice Anthony Gleeson, Kenneth Hayne, John Dyson Heydon and Susan Crennan.

 

[Enteebee]

One of them, Susan Kiefel, of the Federal Court in Queensland, has emerged as favourite to replace Justice McHugh when he retires in November after 17 years.

In a speech at the University of Newcastle on Wednesday night he praised the only female judge in the High Court's history, Mary Gaudron, and said he wanted a woman to succeed him.

Justice Kiefel, 55, is believed to have missed out by only a handful of votes in cabinet when the Howard Government appointed Dyson Heydon upon Ms Gaudron's retirement in 2003.

She left school at 15, worked as a law firm receptionist, was Queensland's first female silk and has been a Federal Court judge since 1994. She is considered a conservative "black letter" lawyer in the mould of Justice Heydon.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national...-says-top-judge/2005/08/18/1123958182102.html

 

[Xytech]

woah
she'll be there 15 years eh?
thats nuts
and too conservative! blah

 

[Rorix]

This is ridiculous. When are men going to get the representation they deserve on the bench?

 

[Xytech]

This is ridiculous. When are men going to get the representation they deserve on the bench?

hear hear!
This female domination is excessive to say the least

 

[LaraB]

hear hear!
This female domination is excessive to say the least

lol 2 out of 7 - that's domination if ever i saw it lol

I think its a fair bit too early to judge whether she will be "good" or "bad" in teh role as the media is currently doing. We really should wait until she at least gives a few judgments of substance to decide whether her appointment will be a beneficial or negative thing

 

[Enteebee]

lol 2 out of 7 - that's domination if ever i saw it lol

I think its a fair bit too early to judge whether she will be "good" or "bad" in teh role as the media is currently doing. We really should wait until she at least gives a few judgments of substance to decide whether her appointment will be a beneficial or negative thing

But she already has a long record :/

 

[LaraB]

But she already has a long record :/

She doesn't have any record as a High Court Judge and given the nature of the media comments - i.e. spectulating as to the kinds of judgments she will make - it is still best to wait and see - of course you can predict somewhat, but still, you can never be sure until it actually gets going

 

[Omnidragon]

I have a feeling she'll make a joint judgment with Hayne and Heydon and Everyone Else (except Kirby J).

 

[fnkychk]

yay for the ladies.

the look on her face is weird though