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High Court treasures on display
Chief Justice of the High Court Robert French will launch a display about the court's history at the National Archives of Australia tonight (8 July) in the ACT.The display, No Common Creation,…
Lawyers Weekly
Chief Justice of the High Court Robert French will launch a display about the court's history at the National Archives of Australia tonight (8 July) in the ACT.
It will also feature information about Justice Michael Kirby, who recently deposited his personal papers in the National Archives, and will include an extract from his ASIO file.
Other key items include wig of the first Chief Justice, Sir Samuel Griffith, the benchbook of former prime minister Sir Edmund Barton and the Mabo decision on Indigenous land rights.
The title of the display came from the remark from former prime minister Alfred Deakin that the court was "no common creation".
The High Court was established by Section 71 of the Constitution, which is also on display. The launch is planned to coincide with Constitution Day - an annual National Archives commemoration which is designed to encourage people to reflect on and celebrate the meaning of the Constitution.
Director-General of the National Archives Ross Gibbs said, "As both the highest court of appeal in Australia and the body responsible for determining the meaning of the Constitution, the High Court is critically important to the nation and a fitting subject for this display."
