Etter in court battle

FORMER corruption watchdog boss Barbara Etter will battle two complaints against her in the Supreme Court later this year, most likely before an interstate judge.

Ms Etter, the first chief executive of Tasmania’s Integrity Commission and a former barrister for convicted murderer Susan Neill-Fraser, appeared in court on Tuesday via video link ahead of an expected five-day courtroom stoush.

She is fighting a complaint made against her by Director of Public Prosecutions Daryl Coates, to the Legal Profession Board, about comments she made regarding evidence in Neill-Fraser’s trial.

Ms Etter is also fighting a complaint brought against her by the board, which has accused her of making vexatious complaints.

Her lawyer, Hugh Selby, has applied for the Supreme Court to deal with the complaints in open court rather than the board.

In a third proceeding being dealt with concurrently, the Legal Profession Board has also applied for the court to deal with and determine a complaint made against Ms Etter by Robert Greer.

Mr Greer is the son of Rita Sally Greer, whose 2007 death at Pelverata became the subject of a coronial inquest in 2017.

On Tuesday, Mr Selby told Acting Justice Stephen Holt an interstate judge was “necessary” to hear the matter.

Chris Gunson SC, acting for the Legal Profession Board, said it had a “neutral view” on the issue. The parties agreed Acting Justice Brian Martin would be suitable to hear the case if possible.

The hearing will likely be scheduled between October and December this year.

Ms Etter quit the legal profession in 2018 after her legal practising certificate was suspended.

She left the Neill-Fraser team in June that year.

A second appeal by NeillFraser was heard by the Tasmanian Court of Criminal Appeal in March this year, with a decision pending.