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IWD, Christian Porter and Lawyer X: Looking back on the fortnight
In this Protégé fortnightly news brief, we’re bringing you the most important updates that law students, graduates and other young lawyers should be across.
Naomi Neilson
2: Christian Porter speaks to rape allegations
Let’s get to the biggest news of the week (month? Year? Probably). On Wednesday, 3 March, our Attorney-General – aka the chief legal officer of the land – outed himself as the cabinet minister referred to in the allegations of a rape circulated widely in media. He absolutely denied this ever happening but his cries largely went unanswered as the profession turned to calls for an inquiry to begin.
3: Kate Jenkins to conduct review into parliamentary workplace culture
Speaking of, Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins (the same Kate Jenkins behind the Respect@Work report), announced that she would be undertaking an investigation into the workplaces of parliamentarians and their staff. While this news was dropped a day after Mr Porter’s press conference, it seems more to do with the allegations that staffer Brittany Higgins had been raped by a more senior colleague.
4: Lawyer X inquiry gets NZ monitor to keep reforms on track
Moving over (and back) to the Lawyer X royal commission, Victorian Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes has appointed a seasoned New Zealand judge and chair of the country’s independent police conduct authority board to oversee implementation of the final report’s recommendations. It’s a pretty big deal considering his position back home and because every single one of the recommendations will come to life.
5: Largest women’s health class action decision upheld
In class action news, Shine Lawyers confirmed that a landmark decision from November 2019 ruling in favour of women impacted by pelvic mesh implants sold by Johnson & Johnson and Ethicon were not fit for purpose has been upheld. The judgement itself is a major win for the women and could set a new standard.
6: ‘Urgent response needed’: Legal profession responds to aged care report
Lawyers have responded to the aged care final report with hope that – as long as the recommendations are actually implemented – the sector could be set to change radically to improve the lives of our ageing residents. However, there is still so much concern that the government will uphold its track record/tradition of blatantly ignoring similar recommendations by either delaying or abandoning it altogether.
7: Judge criticises man for ‘carrying on like pork chop’ in deadly assault
In this judgement sentencing a man to a prison sentence for the deadly assault of another, Supreme Court judge the Honourable Justice Michael Croucher broke away from the usually traditional remarks by comparing the assaulter to a “nasty hyena” who “carried on like a pork chop”. In doing so, he sets a new tone for the judgement.
8: Chief Justice welcomes Newcastle lawyers for first time in 25 years
For the first time in 25 years, Newcastle University was excited to host the Honourable Chief Justice Tom Bathurst, president of the Court of Appeal Justice Andrew Bell, Chief Judge at Common Law Justice Clifton Hoeben and Chief Judge in Equity Julie Ward to welcome in a whole new set of lawyers into the profession.
9: Victorian Bar launches online health and wellbeing portal
Victorian barristers can now access information and resources for mental health and wellbeing via a new portal designed by the Victorian Bar. The chair of its health and wellbeing committee talked to Lawyers Weekly about how the portal will assist lawyers and why it is so important barristers are engaging with support services.
10: The rise of the ‘legal support-preneur’
For a bounty of reasons – from underappreciation by employers to a desire for greater flexibility – support professionals in law firms are looking to consult externally, which may cause law firms to rethink how they engage with experts.
Naomi Neilson
Naomi Neilson is a senior journalist with a focus on court reporting for Lawyers Weekly.
You can email Naomi at:
