BEST MAN FOR JOB
Premier’s friend sworn in as judge
TASMANIA’S newest Supreme Court judge is Hobart lawyer Gregory Geason — who was best man at Premier Will Hodgman’s wedding.
Mr Geason took his seat as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Tasmania after being sworn in by Mr Hodgman, who is also Attorney-General, at a ceremonial sitting yesterday.
A Government spokesman said because Mr Geason was best man at Mr Hodgman’s wedding 18 years ago, the Premier delegated the recommendation of a new judge to the Justice Minister and “absented himself from all relevant Cabinet deliberations”.
Mr Hodgman spoke of Mr Geason’s broad and extensive career and congratulated him on the appointment.
Mr Geason has vowed to live up to the expectations of the prestigious role as he is officially appointed the state’s sixth judge, replacing Shan Tennent, who retired earlier this year.
With more than 30 years experience in civil and criminal matters in state and federal courts, Mr Geason had practised privately and within the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
He relinquished his roles as chairman of the Resource Management and Planning Appeal Tribunal, and Parole Board of Tasmania to take his position on the bench.
Mr Geason thanked his family for the sacrifices that had been made to allow him to get to this point in his career.
“The court will have before it the unfortunate and the fortunate, the powerful and the weak, the strong and the broken,” he said.
“I’ll do my best to live up to your expectations of me.
“Today is not really about me, but this position. These are not the robes of an important person — for I am not — but the robes of an important role.”
Law Society of Tasmania president Will Justo said he hoped the new judge would have the power to use his discretion in all decisions.
The Government had been pushing for mandatory sentences for serious sexual offences against children and has legislation before the Parliament for mandatory six-month sentences for those who assault off-duty police officers.
“It’s important for judges to be able to exercise their discretion because imposing mandatory sentences leads to injustices. There’s nothing that suggests mandatory sentences help,” Mr Justo said.
Today is not really about me, but this position ... these are not the robes of an important person — for I am not — but the robes of an important role — GREGORY GEASON
THE State Government has been forced to back down on a key part of its law and order reforms, deferring the abolishment of suspended sentences for at least two years.
The Liberals’ plan to scrap suspended sentences was a key 2014 election promise.
The Government yesterday announced it had proposed a series of amendments to legislation tabled in September that would have removed suspended sentences as a sentencing option in cases involving 37 crimes, including murder, manslaughter, rape and armed robbery.
The new amendments mean an independent review of alternative sentencing options being introduced would take place within two years, with a report to be provided to Parliament.
Justice Minister Elise Archer said if the report was accepted, suspended sentences would then be abolished for those who committed serious crimes.
“Our proposed amend- ments show that we are prepared to work with the Legislative Council to achieve the best outcomes for the community,” Ms Archer said.
“In contrast, to date, Labor has rejected our proposed amendments and remain completely opposed to abolishing suspended sentences.”
Suspended sentences involve a judge or magistrate im- posing a term of imprisonment but delaying its imposition for a period on the condition the offender does not reoffend.
Labor Rumney MLC Sarah Lovell said she was surprised by Ms Archer’s statement, which was released late yesterday.
Ms Lovell said because no Labor member had yet contributed to debate on the legislation in the Upper House, and the debate had been adjourned, the statement seemed presumptive.
Ms Lovell said she wondered if the Government’s efforts to consult with Legislative Councillors this week had been a “farce” and warned the Government to genuinely consult and not “misrepresent us to the media”.