Callinan. welcome Melbourne CER

This matter concerns the first sitting of the High Court of Australia in Melbourne with Justice Ian David Francis Callinan as a member. The proceedings involved welcomes extended to Justice Callinan by Mr N.J. Young, QC, Chairman of the Bar Council of Victoria, and Mr R.A. Scott, President of the Law Institute of Victoria. These addresses acknowledged Justice Callinan's appointment to the High Court, his distinguished career at the Bar, and his literary and artistic achievements.

The legal issues, while not the subject of adversarial argument, were implicitly addressed through the speakers' commentary on the nature of judicial appointments and the role of the High Court. Mr Young highlighted the tradition of appointing judges directly from the Bar, citing examples of outstanding jurists who followed this path, and expressed the Bar's satisfaction that this avenue of advancement remained open. Mr Scott spoke to the High Court's role in upholding the rule of law and expressed confidence in Justice Callinan's integrity and purpose.

In his response, Justice Callinan expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and acknowledged the importance of support and encouragement between the different branches of the legal profession. He emphasised the national character of the Australian legal profession and the High Court's integral position within Victoria's justice system, affirming the necessity of the Court sitting in various locations beyond Canberra. Justice Callinan also recognised the high standards set by previous distinguished Victorian jurists, including Sir Keith Aickin and Sir Daryl Dawson, and expressed his aspiration to meet those standards.