Judicial Profiles
The Hon Justice Michael Kirby AC CMG
Judge, High Court of Australia (1996-2009)
Qualifications | Work History | Other positions held | Academic positions | Relevant judgments | Relevant speeches and publications
Relevant qualifications and honours
- BA (1959) University of Sydney
- LLB (1962) University of Sydney
- BEc (1965) University of Sydney
- LLM (First Class Honours) (1967) University of Sydney
- Eighteen honorary doctrorates, including
- Doctor of Letters from the University of Newcastle (NSW), the University of Ulster and James Cook University
- Doctor of Laws from the University of Melbourne, Macquarie University, the University of Sydney,
the National Law School University of India, Buckingham University and the Australian National University. - Doctor of the University by the University of South Australia
- Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) (1982) for Services to the law
- Companion of the Order of Australa (AC) (1991)
- Awarded Centenary Medal (2001) For service to law reform and as a Justice of the High Court of Australia
Relevant work history
- Adjunct Professor at a number of Universities, including Deakin University, University of Tasmania, University of Western Sydney
- 1996-2009 - Judge of the High Court of Australia (6 February 1996 - 2 February 2009; appointed by Paul Keating)
- 1984-1996 - President of the New South Wales Court of Appeal
- 1983-1984 - Judge of the Federal Court of Australia (20 March 1983 - 23 September 1984)
- 1975-1984 - First Chairperson of the Australian Law Reform Commission
- 1975 - Deputy President of the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission
- Barrister and solicitor
Other positions held
- 1984-1993 - Chancellor of Macquarie University in Sydney
- 1988-1992 - Member of the World Health Organisation’s Global Commission on AIDS
- 1995-1998 - President of the International Commission of Jurists, Geneva
- 1993-1996 - UN Special Representative Human Rights in Cambodia
- 1995-2005 - Member of the UNESCO International Bioethics Committee
- 2007 - current - Member of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ Judicial Reference Group
- 2004 - current - Member of the UNAIDS Reference Group on HIV and Human Rights
- 2009-2010 - President of the Institute of Arbitrators & Mediators Australia
Academic appointments
- Justice Kirby has been an Honorary Visiting Professor by twelve universities
Relevant judgments
- Rural Press Limited v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [2003] HCA 75 (11 December 2003)
Misuse of market power and exclusionary provisions
Justice Kirby dissented on the issue of misuse of market power - the majority found that there had been no contravention - Boral Besser Masonry Limited (now Boral Masonry Ltd) v ACCC [2003] HCA 5 (7 February 2003)
Misuse of market power; predatory pricing
Justice Kirby dissented - the majority found that there had been no contravention - News Ltd v South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club Ltd [2003] HCA 45
Deals with s 45's prohibition of exclusionary provisions in relation to South Sydney's exclusion from the national rugby competition in 2000. - Melway Publishing Pty Ltd v Robert Hicks Pty Ltd [2001] HCA 13
Misuse of market power
Justice Kirby dissented - the majority found that there had been no contravention
More forthcoming
Relevant speeches and publications
More forthcoming
