High Court appoints Justices Jacqueline Gleeson and Simon Steward
Two new judges will join the High Court of Australia, including the daughter of a previous judge, making her the sixth woman to reach the position.
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Two new judges will join the High Court of Australia, including Sydney-based justice Jacqueline Gleeson as the sixth woman in history appointed to the top bench.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday announced Justice Gleeson and Melbournian Justice Simon Steward would join the nation’s most senior court at the retirement of two current judges.
Mr Morrison said the Governor-General had accepted the advice of the federal government fill the vacancies when Justice Geoffrey Nettle retires at the end of November, and Justice Virginia Bell in February.
“We have had exhaustive efforts to arrive these decisions,” Mr Morrison said.
“Every Justice appointed to the High Court carries a significant burden to uphold the laws of our land.”
Justice Gleeson, who was appointed to the Federal Court in 2014, is the daughter of former High Court Chief Justice Murray Gleeson and has a background in commercial law as a former barrister and solicitor.
Justice Steward, who was appointed to the Federal Court in 2018, is a tax law expert from Melbourne.
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Attorney-General Christian Porter said Justice Gleeson’s diverse “expertise” had served the Federal Court “incredibly well” and would “no doubt be a major asset to the High Court”.
“It is not really possible to appoint Justice Jacqueline Gleeson without noting she is the eldest daughter of Murray Gleeson; that places her in a rather unique position,” he said.
“I am told that is a first in common law countries.”
Mr Porter said Justice Steward had already experienced a “remarkable, stellar” career.
“He took silk in 2009, just ten years out from law school, being the first person in his graduating class to do that,” he said.
The new appointments preserve the court’s gender balance of three women and four men.
Originally published as High Court appoints Justices Jacqueline Gleeson and Simon Steward