Women federal judges on the rise

Women judges across federal courts are now represented in record proportions, Attorney-General Michaelia Cash says.

Attorney-General Michaelia Cash has overseen the promotion of women to federal judgeships in record proportions. Picture: Martin Ollman

The appointment of four new women judges to Division 2 of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia brings the proportion of sitting women judges there to a record 51 per cent, Michaelia Cash announced on Monday.

Amanda Mansini

It also brings the aggregate proportion of women judges across the courts for which the Attorney-General is responsible to a record 44 per cent, covering both divisions of the FCFCOA, the Federal Court of Australia and the High Court of Australia.

The breakdown of that figure shows the proportion of women sitting judges in the FCFCOA’s two divisions is now at a combined 48.7 per cent. However, in the Federal Court the proportion is now 32.7 per cent.

Senator Cash appointed Natasha Laing and Gillian Eldershaw to the Sydney registry of the FCFCOA (Division 2) and Amanda Mansini and Alison Burt to the Melbourne registry. She also appointed Paul Glass in Melbourne.

“On behalf of the Australian government, I congratulate (them) on their appointments and thank them for their willingness to serve the people of Australia as judges,” Senator Cash said.