Ceremonial - Kiefel J - Welcome Melbourne -

This proceeding records the ceremonial welcome of Justice Susan Kiefel to the High Court of Australia's sittings in Melbourne. The welcome was extended by Mr Peter J. Riordan, SC, Chairman of the Victorian Bar Council, and Mr Geoffrey Provis, President of the Law Institute of Victoria. Both representatives offered warm greetings to Justice Kiefel, acknowledging her distinguished career and her first sitting in Melbourne.

The primary legal issue, though not explicitly stated as a dispute, was the formal introduction and acknowledgement of Justice Kiefel's appointment to the High Court by the Victorian legal profession. The speakers used the occasion to highlight Justice Kiefel's extensive experience as a barrister in Queensland, her judicial service on the Supreme Court of Queensland and the Federal Court of Australia, and her academic achievements, including a Master of Laws degree from Cambridge University.

The court's reasoning, as expressed through the welcoming addresses, focused on Justice Kiefel's qualifications and the anticipated contributions she would make to Australian jurisprudence. Her background in trial advocacy, her expertise in comparative and international law, and her role in designing judicial robes were all noted as significant aspects of her professional life. Justice Kiefel responded with gratitude, reflecting on her own past associations with the Melbourne legal community and acknowledging the presence of other judges.