Judges push Denison name change

FORMER High Court judge Michael Kirby and Federal Court judge Duncan Kerr have thrown their support behind a push to change the name of the Denison electorate to honour Andrew Inglis Clark.

Federal Court judge Duncan Kerr

FORMER High Court judge Michael Kirby and Federal Court judge Duncan Kerr have thrown their support behind a push to change the name of the Denison electorate to honour Andrew Inglis Clark.

Justice Kirby has called on the Australian Electoral Commission to change the name of the Hobart-based electorate arguing it is “unjust and unfair” that the Tasmanian is not honoured with an electorate named after him.

“Andrew Inglis Clark is undoubtedly one of the most important of the founders of the Australian Commonwealth,” Mr Kirby has said in a submission to the commission.

“He was himself a distinguished member of the Tasmania colonial and state parliament and attorney-general for the state.

“He later served on the Supreme Court of Tasmania and came close to appointment.

“Most importantly, he wrote a most important textbook on the Australian Constitution.

“Whereas the other chief contributors to our federal Constitution [Griffith, Barton, Deakin, Reid, Kingston and Isaacs] are honoured in the names of federal electorates somehow Andrew Inglis Clark has missed out on his just recognition in his home state of Tasmania.”

Mr Kerr said Inglis Clark was one of Tasmania’s greatest sons.

“Inglis Clark’s entire life was lived in Hobart …. It would be entirely fitting for the original federation seat whose boundary includes that city to be renamed in recognition of one of its greatest sons, and a founder of our nation.”

Mr Kerr represented the federal electorate of Denison for 23 years.

The man that replaced him, Andrew Wilkie, has also supported the name change.

“As a founding father of Australia, it is a mystery why Inglis Clark has not been recognised more widely.

Mr Wilkie’s support was replicated by the Tasmanian Labor Party.

In its submission, the Liberal Party of Australia (Tasmanian Division) said it does not recommend any changes to the names of existing electoral divisions.

Inglis Clark was a principal author of the Australian Constitution, an engineer, barrister, politician, electoral reformer, University of Tasmania vice-chancellor and Supreme Court judge.

Sir William Thomas Denison was lieutenant governor of Van Diemens Land from 1847 to 1855.