New Appointments in Commonwealth and ACT
Friday 6 May 2016 @ 12.28 p.m. | Judiciary, Legal Profession & Procedure | Legal Research
New Government appointments have been made in the Commonwealth government and in the Australian Capital Territory. The Commonwealth Attorney General has appointed Ms Sarah McNaughton SC as the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecution. Meanwhile, in the ACT, the ACT Attorney General Simon Corbell, has appointed NSW District Court Judge Michael Elkaim as a judge of the ACT Supreme Court.
Commonwealth DPP
Ms McNaughton has worked in the legal industry for 27 years and has been a member of the bar since 1996. In 2011, she was appointed as a Senior Council. According to the Attorney General’s media release:
“Ms McNaughton has appeared as both prosecution and defence counsel in a number of complex criminal trials and has specialist expertise in offences related to taxation, corporate crime, drug importation and terrorism. She has held a range of roles in private practice and with the Office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.”
Ms McNaughton’s appointment was the result of a strenuous and comprehensive merit selection process. She will replace the current DPP, Mr Bromwich, who has recently gone on to be a judge of Australia’s Federal Court.
ACT Supreme Court Judge
The appointment of Michael Elkaim came earlier this week and will be the fifth judge for the Supreme Court of the ACT. Mr Corbell explained that:
“Canberra is a growing city and demand has now reached the point where it is necessary for the territory to have another full-time judge. A fifth judge will allow our courts to build on the excellent work done in recent years to increase access to justice and improve timeliness. It will also allow the courts to meet increasing demand for years to come.”
Judge Elkaim has over 40 years’ experience in the legal profession. He practiced as a barrister for almost 30 years in a range of courts and jurisdictions before being appointed to the NSW District Court.
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