PM Transcripts

PRESS STATEMENT NO. 444
9 February 1975
APPOINTMENT TO THE HIGH COURT
The Attorney-General, Senator Lionel Murphy, Q. C.,
has been appointed a Justice of the High Court of
Australia. Senator Murphy, 52, has been Attorney-General,
Minister for Customs and Excise and Leader of the Government
in the Senate since 1972. He was appointed Queen's
Counsel in 1960.
He is the fifth Australian Attorney-General to
become a Justice of the High Court.
Senator Murphy became a Senator for New South Wales
in 1961 and was Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
from 1967 to 1972.
He was educated at Sydney Boys High School and
the University of Sydney where he graduated as a Bachelor
of Laws with honours and a Bachelor of Science with
honours. He was admitted to the New South Wales Bar in 1947.
Since he has been Attorney-General, Senator Murphy.
has introduced some of the most important legislation and
law reform measures to come before the Parliament.
This includes the Trade Practices Act, the Family
Law Bill, the Corporations and Securities Industries Bill
and the Racial Discrimination Bill.
As Attorney-General he led the legal team which
successfully argued Australia's first case before the
International Court of Justice to prevent further atmospheric
nuclear testing by the French in the South Pacific.
He established the Australian Legal Aid Office,
a project which ensures that all Australians will not be
denied access'to the courts because of lack of money.
He also introduced legislation establishing the
Law Reform Commission of Australia and a national
Legislative Drafting Institute.
His first legislative proposal was a Bill to have
the Death Penalty abolished for offences under Federal law.
Senator Murphy resigned as a member of the
Australian Senate this evening.
CANBERRA. A. C. T.