Ceremonial Sitting on the Occasion of the Announcement of Appointment of Senior Counsel [2025] HCATrans 1 (3 February 2025)

Last Updated: 4 February 2025

[2025] HCATrans 001

H I G H C O U R T O F A U S T R A L I A

CEREMONIAL SITTING

ON THE OCCASION

OF

THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF APPOINTMENT

OF

SENIOR COUNSEL

Coram: GAGELER CJ

GORDON J

EDELMAN J

STEWARD J

GLEESON J

JAGOT J

BEECH-JONES J

TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS

AT CANBERRA ON MONDAY, 3 FEBRUARY 2025, AT 3.29 PM

The following King’s Counsel and Senior Counsel were seated at the Bar table:

Ms Roisin Annesley KC, President of the Australian Bar Association

Mr Justin Hannebery KC, President of the Victorian Bar

Dr Rachael Gray KC, President of the South Australian Bar Association

Ms Mary Chalmers KC, President of the Northern Territory Bar Association

Dr Ruth Higgins SC, President of the New South Wales Bar Association

Ms Julie Taylor SC, President of the Western Australian Bar Association

Ms Catherine Heyworth‑Smith KC, President of the Bar Association of Queensland

Mr Michael Wait SC, Solicitor‑General for the State of South Australia

Mr Gim del Villar KC, Solicitor‑General of the State of Queensland

Members of the Judiciary seated within the Court:

The Honourable Chief Justice William Alstergren AO, Chief Justice of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia

The Honourable Justice Nye Perram, Federal Court of Australia

The Honourable Justice Matthew Howard, Supreme Court of Western Australia

The Honourable Justice Kevin Lyons, Supreme Court of Victoria

The Honourable Justice Kenneth Hayne AC KC, retired Justice of the High Court of Australia

GAGELER CJ: Mr Hannebery KC, President of the Victorian Bar Association.

MR HANNEBERY: May it please the Court, I inform the Court that the following members of the Bar here present have been appointed as Senior Counsel in the State of Victoria.

They are:

Gary Bruce Hevey who ranks in seniority after Barnaby Charles Chessell

Peter James Matthews who ranks in seniority after Gary Bruce Hevey

Georgina Frances Connelly who ranks in seniority after Peter James Matthews

Justin Brian Bannatyne Lewis who ranks in seniority after Georgina Frances Connelly

Dugald McWilliams who ranks in seniority after Justin Brian Bannatyne Lewis

Robert William O’Neill who ranks in seniority after Dugald McWilliams

Karen Argiropoulos who ranks in seniority after Robert William O’Neill

Kate Brooke Beattie who ranks in seniority after Karen Argiropoulos

Stephen Michael Rebikoff who ranks in seniority after Kate Brooke Beattie

Premala Pappathy Thiagarajan who ranks in seniority after Samuel Geoffrey Hopper

Andrew John Woods who ranks in seniority after Premala Pappathy Thiagarajan

Michael David Stanton who ranks in seniority after Andrew John Woods

Neill Arthur Hutton who ranks in seniority after Michael David Stanton

Catherine Maisie Pierce who ranks in seniority after Christopher Stuart Nehmy

Justin Paul Tomlinson who ranks in seniority after Catherine Maisie Pierce

Maree Claire Norton who ranks in seniority after Justin Paul Tomlinson

Andrew John de Wijn who ranks in seniority after Maree Claire Norton

Meredith Anne Schilling who ranks in seniority after Andrew John de Wijn

Andrew Michael James Meagher who ranks in seniority after Meredith Anne Schilling

Benjamin William Jellis who ranks in seniority after Andrew Michael James Meagher

Catherine Helen Burke who ranks in seniority after Benjamin William Jellis

David Michael Yarrow who ranks in seniority after Catherine Helen Burke

Matthew John Hooper who ranks in seniority after David Michael Yarrow

GAGELER CJ: Thank you. Ms Annesley KC, President of the Australian Bar Association.

MS ANNESLEY: May it please the Court, I inform the Court that the following members of the Bar here present have been appointed as Senior Counsel in the State of Tasmania.

They are:

Thomas David Cox who ranks in seniority after Matthew James Verney

Mark Cameron Rapley who ranks in seniority after Thomas David Cox

GAGELER CJ: Thank you. Ms Gray KC, President of the South Australian Bar Association.

MS GRAY: May it please the Court, I inform the Court that the following members of the Bar here present have been appointed as Senior Counsel in the State of South Australia.

They are:

Taanya Claire Lewis who ranks in seniority after Ryan Michael Williams

Lisa Jane Dunlop who ranks in seniority after Taanya Claire Lewis

David Billington who ranks in seniority after Lisa Jane Dunlop

GAGELER CJ: Thank you. Ms Chalmers SC, President of the Northern Territory Bar Association.

MS CHALMERS: May it please the Court, I inform the Court that the following members of the Bar here present have been appointed as Senior Counsel in the Northern Territory.

They are:

Cameron Samuel Ernest Ford who ranks in seniority after Victoria Engel

Hamish Hiram Baddeley who ranks in seniority after Cameron Samuel Ernest Ford

Martin Robert Aust who ranks in seniority after Hamish Hiram Baddeley

GAGELER CJ: Thank you. Ms Higgins SC, President of New South Wales Bar Association.

MS HIGGINS: May it please the Court, I inform the Court that the following members of the Bar here present have been appointed as Senior Counsel in the State of New South Wales.

They are:

Andrew Bruce Gotting who ranks in seniority after David Tony Joseph Scully

James Julian Trevallion who ranks in seniority after Andrew Bruce Gotting

Michelle Therese England who ranks in seniority after Sean Thomas Flood

Phoebe Louise Arcus who ranks in seniority after Michelle Therese England

Lester Aloysius Fernandez who ranks in seniority after Darrell James Barnett

Paul Robert Coady who ranks in seniority after Lester Aloysius Fernandez

Vanessa Ann Thomas who ranks in seniority after Paul Robert Coady

Nicholas John Broadbent who ranks in seniority after Hayley Bennett

Matthew John Lewis who ranks in seniority after Nicholas John Broadbent

Chester Wesley Brown who ranks in seniority after Matthew John Lewis

Alan Shearer who ranks in seniority after Chester Wesley Brown

Robert John Ranken who ranks in seniority after Alan Shearer

Simon Fitzpatrick who ranks in seniority after Robert John Ranken

Trent Mathew Glover who ranks in seniority after Simon Fitzpatrick

Fionnuala Marie Therese Simpson who ranks in seniority after Trent Mathew Glover

Hilbert Sin Yun Chiu who ranks in seniority after Fionnuala Marie Therese Simpson

Samuel Suren Pararajasingham who ranks in seniority after Christopher James Othen

Amy Elizabeth Munro who ranks in seniority after Samuel Suren Pararajasingham

Thomas Owen Prince who ranks in seniority after Amy Elizabeth Munro

Elisa Holmes who ranks in seniority after Thomas Owen Prince

Zelie Christine Heger who ranks in seniority after Elisa Holmes

Brendan George Campbell who ranks in seniority after Zelie Christine Heger

GAGELER CJ: Thank you. Ms Taylor SC, President of Western Australian Bar Association.

MS TAYLOR: May it please the Court, I inform the Court that the following members of the Bar here present have been appointed as Senior Counsel in the State of Western Australia.

They are:

Konrad Jaques Mony de Kerloy who ranks in seniority after Robert Francis Owen

David John Bayly who ranks in seniority after Konrad Jaques Mony de Kerloy

William Arie Scott Keane who ranks in seniority after David John Bayly

Timothy Clive Russell who ranks in seniority after William Arie Scott Keane

Justin Lee Edwards who ranks in seniority after Timothy Clive Russell

Jean Elizabeth Shaw who ranks in seniority after Justin Lee Edwards

Anthony John Papamatheos who ranks in seniority after Benjamin Francis Stanwix

Clinton Peter Kevin Russell who ranks in seniority after Anthony John Papamatheos

GAGELER CJ: Thank you. Ms Heyworth‑Smith KC, President of Bar Association of Queensland.

MS HEYWORTH‑SMITH: May it please the Court, I inform the Court that the following members of the Bar here present have been appointed as King’s Counsel in the State of Queensland.

They are:

Mark Joseph McCarthy who ranks in seniority after Sally Bianca Robb

April Christina Freeman who ranks in seniority after Mark Joseph McCarthy

Christopher Andrew Johnstone who ranks in seniority after April Christina Freeman

James Gerard Lyons who ranks in seniority after Christopher Andrew Johnstone

Paula Morreau who ranks in seniority after James Gerard Lyons

Matthew Thomas Hickey who ranks in seniority after Paula Morreau

Stewart James Webster who ranks in seniority after Matthew Thomas Hickey

Mitchel James Batty who ranks in seniority after Stewart James Webster

GAGELER CJ: Thank you.

[The Chief Justice gave remarks]

The Court will now adjourn.

AT 3.50 PM THE COURT ADJOURNED