Supreme Court welcomes newest justice Sonia Brownhill in ceremonial sitting

The Territory’s highest court has welcomed its newest member in a ceremonial sitting of the full bench of the Supreme Court in Darwin.

Justice Sonia Brownhill took her seat beside the other members of the Supreme Court at a ceremonial sitting in Darwin on Friday. Picture: NT Courts

THE Territory’s highest court has welcomed its newest member in a ceremonial sitting of the full bench of the Supreme Court in Darwin.

On Friday Justice Sonia Brownhill took her seat beside the other five permanent members of the court — justices Jenny Blokland, Stephen Southwood, Judith Kelly, Peter Barr and Chief Justice Michael Grant — for the first time.

In welcoming Justice Brownhill to the bench, Chief Justice Grant broke with tradition to share a personal anecdote from his long association with her honour dating back to their time as fresh faced young lawyers.

Chief Justice Grant said one of his earliest impressions of Justice Brownhill came via former Chief Justice Trevor Riley who was then senior counsel in a long running case with “a large coterie” of juniors.

“He remarked to me one day that although you were the most junior of those solicitors, you were by far the best of them — as always his honour’s assessment was impeccable,” he said.

“Of course, I would have enjoyed his honour’s frank assessment far more at the time had I not been one of those other solicitors.”

Chief Justice Grant noted that while the now equal gender balance on court was a cause for celebration, it was also a reflection of an “overdue” social evolution towards gender equality.

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“At a specific level however, your appointment is a reflection only of your professional expertise, intellectual abilities and demonstrated capacity for sustained hard work,” he said.

“(It is also) a reflection of your personal qualities of integrity, independence and sound temperament — this court is fortunate to have your skills to deploy in its work.”

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