Beloved jurist and administrator Austin Asche remembered at State Funeral

A State funeral for a beloved Territorian has heard of a fine jurist and a fun family man.

Austin and Valerie Asche

Wellwishers from as far as South Korea travelled to Darwin to attend the State Funeral for much-loved jurist and former Territory administrator, Keith John Austin Asche AC KC.

The beloved jurist and administrator was remembered at a State Funeral on Monday as a man who dedicated his life to serving the Northern Territory.

Along the way he raised a family and made a home in Australia’s northern capital, ignoring opportunities to return to a larger southern capital.

Austin’s beloved dog Freya was part of the procession that filed into the Convention Centre accompanied by St John Ambulance officers, police and fire top brass and local representatives from the army, navy and air force.

Wendy Asche speaks at father Austin’s funeral

Remembered by his daughter Wendy Asche as “kind, loving and fun”, she also emphasised “loyalty and justice” as being among his guiding principles.

She said for all his accomplishments as a jurist, his family was always his focus.

“He was convinced that everybody in his family was great in their own way and he was always connected to what everyone in our large and extended family was doing,” Ms Asche said.

“He was tremendously loyal to the Territory and even in Melbourne during his early career he always wanted to come back.

“Dad was clear-sighted in his view of justice for all and he was closely involved in the establishment of a new family law act, now 50 years new.”

Describing him as an “early feminist” Ms Asche said her father was proud of the NT Supreme Court’s recent appointment of another woman, for the first time giving women a majority on the Territory bench.

His wife Dr Valerie Asche, who died in 2019, was remembered as his “soulmate”. “He was also incredibly proud of her career as a microbiologist,” she said.

Austin Asche’s beloved Freya made an appearance.

Earlier in the service, Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro praised Mr Asche’s leadership and his broader Territory contribution.

“Austin was an exceptional leader, a devoted public servant and a man of great integrity,” she said. “It is difficult to capture in words the breadth of his achievement and the depth of his character.

“But in remembering him today we pay tribute to a legacy of wisdom, fairness and service that will endure for generations to come. Austin Asche was in every sense of the word a gentleman. He carried himself with an easy going optimism and a quiet confidence that drew people to him.”

Reflecting on Mr Asche’s legal record, NT Supreme Court justice Judith Kelly called him “an excellent judge”.

Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro speaks at Austin Asche’s funeral

She recounted a 1988 dispute when as chief justice, he declined to make a determination on whether a verandah should have been built around the Greek Orthodox Church.

“Chief Justice Asche refused the plaintiff’s application for the court to intervene in the dispute, saying the Greek community was ‘the first of the great democracies’ and would ‘exercise their own Judgement without the court’s assistance’ while deploying the wisdom of Socrates”.

She said the verandah remains today as vindication of his judgement.

Austin’s son Harry referenced to his father’s love of poetry, Darwin and humour when he quoted an ode his father would recite.

“This is the city that’s friendly to friends.

“This is the city where your journey ends

“Stay one year or one year more.

And after that you’ll close the door.”

Mr Asche was born in Melbourne on November 28, 1925 and died on December 14, 2024 aged 99. Educated in Darwin before practising law in southern Australia, he returned in 1986 to serve as chief justice.

He was NT administrator from March 1993 until February 1997.

He is survived by his children Harry and Wendy, grandchildren Thomas, Romaan and Zoe and great grandchildren Austin and Walter.

Originally published as Beloved jurist and administrator Austin Asche remembered at State Funeral