South Burnett welcomes new Magistrate

Meet the former Fitzgerald Inquiry lawyer and founding president of the Environmental Defenders Office of Northern Queensland.

Magistrate Andrew Sinclair has taken over the South Burnett circuit.

AS THE Queensland Court system begins to get back to business as usual following the coronavirus restrictions, the South Burnett welcomes a new face to the local court rooms.

Magistrate Andrew Sinclair has started out on his first day in the new role at the Kingaroy Courthouse, taking over the position from Louisa Pink who has been overseeing the region for the last two years.

CONCERN: Andrew Sinclair is concerned about the data retention issues surrounding the Census.

Mr Sinclair brings with him a wealth of experience in criminal, civil and environmental law with more than 30 years in the legal profession.

He was first admitted as a barrister of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 1989 before being engaged on the Fitzgerald Inquiry and working as a crown prosecutor at the Special Prosecutors Office.

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He also acted as junior counsel assisting the Royal Commission into Operation Trident, an controversial car-stealing scam from the early 90s.
Mr Sinclair spent 10 years in private practice in both Cairns and the Sunshine Coast.

During his career he served as the founding president of the Environmental Defenders Office of Northern Queensland, volunteer contributor to the Cairns Community Legal Centre, president of the Queensland Council for Civil Liberties, and member of the Bar Council of the Bar Association of Queensland.

He also managed to find time in there to teach law at James Cook University.

Mr Sinclair was appointed to the Magistrates Court of Queensland in 2017 and has overseen courts in the Southport and Maroochydore regions.

As part of his posting to the South Burnett region he will oversee proceedings at the Kingaroy, Murgon and Nanango Magistrates courts.

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