New Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Commissioner and Queensland Judicial Appointments
Wednesday 18 November 2015 @ 11.45 a.m. | Legal Research
The Attorney General, George Brandis, has recently appointed the Honourable Susan Ryan AO as the Disability Discrimination Commissioner. Meanwhile, Queensland has appointed a new Director of Public Prosecutions as well as a new Judge to its Court of Appeal.
Disability Discrimination Commissioner
Susan Ryan was first appointed as the acting Disability Discrimination Commissioner in July 2014 before being confirmed to the role in September 2014. She is also concurrently the Age Discrimination Commissioner, with a term set to expire on 28 July 2016. Up until her appointment as Commissioner, she had been Women’s Ambassador for ActionAid Australia and chaired the Australian Human Rights Group since 2008. She had also chaired the Australian Human Rights Act Campaign Inc. since 2005.
The Attorney General says:
“Ms Ryan continues to be a strong advocate for the rights of people with a disability. She is currently leading Willing to Work, the Commission’s national inquiry into employment discrimination against older persons and persons with a disability. Consultations are currently being conducted across Australia, which will inform the Commission’s recommendations when they report to Government by July 2016.”
Queensland Director of Public Prosecutions and Court of Appeal Judge
Barrister Michael Roderick Byrne QC was appointed as the State of Queensland’s new Director of Public Prosecutions. Concurrently, Justice Phillip McMurdo was appointed as a judge of the Court of Appeal.
Queensland Attorney General, Yvette D’Ath, describes Justice McMurdo as having extensive experience and would be welcomed by both the legal profession and his colleagues on the bench. Justice McMurdo was formerly a Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland with an impressive and distinguished career in law. Justice McMurdo was critical of the former Newman Government’s process of appointing judges following the controversial appointment of Tim Carmody as Chief Justice.
Queensland Law Society president, Michael Fitzgerald, welcomes the appointments saying:
“Justice Philip McMurdo and Mr Byrne QC are highly respected by both the legal profession and the judiciary.”
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