Labor Government Appoints New High Court Judge

The Attorney-General Nicola Roxon announced the Labor Government’s latest appointment to the High Court Bench in Canberra this week.

The current Chief Justice of the Federal Court Justice Patrick Keane, 60 will join Justice Kiefel as the second Queenslander on the bench. Justice Keane who will be Australia’s 50th High Court Judge, will replace Justice Dyson Haydon who is retiring when he turns 70 in March.

The appointment may have disappointed South Australian residents hoping for the selection of a judge from South Australia, the only state to never have been represented on the High Court bench.  When asked about the decision Ms Roxon confirmed that the government had consulted widely on the appointment and that “on this occasion we haven’t found a person from South Australia to appoint.”

Ms Roxon described Justice Keane as “a leading intellectual” who would make an “excellent and outstanding High Court Judge.

The appointment tips the balance in favor of labor appointments for the first time  since 2005, with Justice Keane joining Chief Justice French, appointed in 2008,  Justice Virginia Bell, appointed in 2009 (both by the Rudd Government) and Justice Stephen Gageler appointed by the Gillard government earlier this year. Justice Kenneth Hayne, Justice Susan Crennan and Justice Susan Kiefel were chosen by the Howard government.

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