Female judge firms as new Chief Justice
ONE of the Supreme Court’s most senior female judges is firming as favourite within legal circles to secure the Queensland Chief Justice role.
The Court of Appeal’s Justice Catherine Holmes – who ran the landmark Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry into the 2011 disasters – is being touted as a likely contender.
Justice Holmes was appointed by the former Labor premier Peter Beattie and was last year called upon to swear in Tim Carmody in a private ceremony.
Those in some legal circles believe that Labor will use its first chance in 60 years to appoint a Chief Justice to make a statement by appointing the first woman to the top legal job.
There are several eminent women on the bench with sub-
In particular, Justice Holmes is considered to have a sharp legal mind and is one of the longest standing members of the
Court of Appeal.
stantial experience and ability.
Justice Holmes is considered to have a sharp legal mind and is one of the longeststanding members of the Court of Appeal.
One member fraternity said Holmes was of the legal that Justice well- respected among her peers, meaning that her ascension would be unlikely to draw the criticism experienced by Justice Carmody when he assumed the top job.
Still in the frame, however, are her male colleagues Justice Hugh Fraser, Justice David Jackson and Justice James Douglas.
Griffith University law school senior lecturer Zoe Rathus said the Government needed to pick the best candidate for the job.
“I will be personally delighted if it’s a woman, but I will also be happy to see a man who has all the right qualifications put into that position,” she said.