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5 superior court judges appointed to Defence Force Discipline Appeal Tribunal
The Defence Force Discipline Appeal Tribunal has reappointed the Honourable Justice John Logan as president and appointed four additional judges from Australia’s biggest courts.
Naomi Neilson
Until he reaches the age of 70, Justice Logan will continue to oversee the tribunal as it hears and determines appeals from court martial and Australian Defence Force magistrates relating to the service offences by Australian Defence Force personnel.
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Justice Logan has served on the tribunal since 2011 and was appointed president in 2018. He also serves as a judge of the Federal Court of Australia and has an additional commission as judge of the supreme and national courts of Papua New Guinea.
In terms of his military experience, Justice Logan commenced as an officer cadet in the Australian Army Reserve and held the rank of major until moving to the Retired List.
Joining him at the tribunal is Justice Melissa Perry in the position of deputy president for the next five years.
Justice Perry has been a member of the tribunal since 2018 and is also a judge of the Federal Court of Australia. Her military experience includes being a commissioned officer with the Royal Australian Air Force, Legal Specialist Reserves since 2011.
In 2023, Justice Perry was promoted to the rank of air commodore and appointed Deputy Judge Advocate General in the Air Force.
Justice Robertson Wright, a judge of the NSW Supreme Court, has been appointed a member of the tribunal until the age of 70.
Justice Wright has served extensively in various regiments as platoon commander and company commander.
New members Justice John Halley and Justice Lincoln Crowley have also been appointed for five years each.
Justice Halley is a judge of the Federal Court and has served with the Australian Army Reserve and the 2nd/17th Battalion Royal New South Wales Regiment and 8 Brigade in various capacities.
Justice Crowley, a judge of the Queensland Supreme Court, has served in the Australian Army Reserve, 31st Battalion, and Royal Queensland Regiment. Justice Crowley is also the first Indigenous judge to be appointed to a superior Australian court.
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said each of the appointees are “respected judges” who will bring “valuable knowledge and experience” to the roles.
“On behalf of the government, I congratulate their honours on their appointments and thank them for their willingness to serve on the tribunal,” Mr Dreyfus said.
