New Appointments Around the Country for 2017

Monday 20 February 2017 @ 12.41 p.m. | Judiciary, Legal Profession & Procedure | Legal Research

There has been an assortment of appointments around the country from temporary Supreme Court judges in Tasmania, the new appointment of the Aboriginal Social Justice Commissioner and new Tourism Board Commissioners and CEO of the NT Law Society.

Supreme Court Amendment (Judges) Act 2016 (9 of 2016) [TAS]

Following the passing of this Act on 10 June 2016 (and commencement on the same date), on 10 February 2017, Former Supreme Court Justice Pierre Slicer Lautalatoa and David Porter QC, will be joined by former Federal Court judge Shane Marshall and former Northern Territory Chief Justice Brian Martin QC on the Supreme Court bench in Tasmania temporarily in order to hear a backlog of cases.

The principal purpose of the Act is to amend the Supreme Court Act 1887 (TAS) to provide for the appointment and payment of acting judges on a part time basis. The Act amends that Act to provide:

that acting judges can be appointed on either a full-time or part-time basis;
a means by which the remuneration of a part-time acting judge is calculated; and
that an acting judge may complete any part-heard matters before them at the end of their appointed term.

Each of the four part-time judges have been appointed immediately for two-year terms.

New Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner

On 9 February 2017, the Attorney-General (Cth) appointed Indigenous leader June Oscar as the new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner in the Australian Human Rights Commission.

According to the Attorney-General's Media Release, Ms Oscar is a Bunuba woman and community leader from the Central Kimberley region of Western Australia. She is currently the CEO of the Marninwarntikura Women's Resource Centre in Fitzroy Crossing. She has an outstanding record as a determined, courageous and pragmatic advocate for the rights of Indigenous Australians. Her experience in Indigenous policy spans across language revitalisation, native title, health, women's issues and, most notably, Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Additionally, was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2013 for distinguished service to the Indigenous community of Western Australia, particularly through health and social welfare programs, and was awarded the Menzies School of Health Research Medallion in 2014 for her work with FASD.

Ms Oscar will replace Mick Gooda, who is now a Commissioner investigating the Northern Territory's youth justice system, with her appointment to begin on 3 April 2017 for a five-year period.

Tourism NT Board of Commissioners Appointed

Minister for Tourism and Culture in the NT, Lauren Moss, announced on 17 February 2017, the re-appointment of Michael Bridge as Chairman of the incoming Tourism NT Board of Commissioners for a period of two years.

According to the NT Media Release, new commissioners to the Tourism NT Board include:

Ms Helen Martin, Business Director of Banubanu Wilderness Retreat on Bremer Island, off the coast of Nhulunbuy and Chair of the NT Chief Minister’s Indigenous Tourism Advisory Council;
Ms Dale McIver, Director Alice Event Management and Consultancy and Chair of Tourism Central Australia;
Ms Rachael Beaumont-Smith, Managing Director Darwin Harbour Cruises and Deputy Chair of Tourism Top End;
Ms Trish (Patricia) Angus, Director Indigenous Business Australia and CareFlight, member of the Top End Hospital Network Governing Council and the Charles Darwin University Vice-Chancellor’s Indigenous Advisory Council; and
Mr Jeff Huyben, General Manager Chifley Alice Springs Resort and former Chair of Tourism Central Australia.

Returning board commissioners include:

Mr Michael Bridge as Chair, Director of Airnorth;
Mr Mick Burns, Darwin businessman and owner/operator of Porosus P/L;
Mr Geoff Weeks, General Manager Halikos Hospitality P/L; and
Mr Denis Pierce, Director Linchpin P/L an inbound travel management company.

New CEO appointed at Law Society NT

According to a recent Lawyer's Weekly article, Kellie Grainger has also been officially appointed to the CEO role at the NT Law Society on 17 February 2017.

According to Ms Grainger:

"The Society fulfils a number of important roles, as an advocate for the administration of justice and as the supervisory body and regulator for the legal profession in the Northern Territory.”

She has served as acting CEO since June 2016 and commences her new role immediately.

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