Login
New Qld Chief Justice appointed
Following the retirement of Queensland’s first woman Chief Justice, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman have named the new top judge in the Sunshine State.
Jerome Doraisamy
The Honourable Justice Helen Bowskill, who is currently the senior judge administrator of the Queensland Supreme Court, has been appointed as that court’s new Chief Justice.
To continue reading the rest of this article, please log in.
Create free account to get unlimited news articles and more!
She succeeds the Honourable Chief Justice Catherine Holmes AC, who was the first woman appointed as Chief Justice in Queensland. Her honour will replace Holmes CJ on 19 March 2022.
The news follows the recent appointment of a new Chief Justice and new president of the Court of Appeal in NSW, which Lawyers Weekly reported on in mid-February.
Bowskill J was appointed Queen’s counsel in 2013, appointed to the District Court in 2014 and then as a judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland’s trial division in 2017.
Premier Palaszczuk congratulated Bowskill J on her appointment and thanked Chief Justice Holmes for her “years of dedication and commitment to justice in Queensland”.
“Justice Bowskill is well qualified for the top position of Chief Justice and brings a wealth of experience and skills to the role,” the Premier said.
“Her honour, a university medallist in law from QUT, was admitted as a barrister to the Supreme Court of Queensland in 1998. She practised widely in public, administrative and commercial law, with a particular focus on native title law.”
Attorney-General Fentiman – who is also the Minister for Justice in Queensland – added that Bowskill J is “widely-respected” within the legal profession and is renowned for her measured and compassionate approach to the court.
“Since her appointment as senior judge administrator in 2021, Justice Bowskill has shown great leadership and will contribute greatly to the Queensland justice system in her new role,” the Attorney-General said.
“Justice Bowskill has recently demonstrated her interest in mental health issues facing the legal profession, presenting papers at the ODPP Crown Prosecutor’s Conference and to Queensland Magistrates in 2021. These presentations have been well received and benefit the broader administration of justice.”
Moreover, A-G Fentiman continued, that Holmes CJ has proved a “steadfast leader” of the Queensland justice system during her tenure as Chief Justice.
“Her honour has been a trailblazer in the profession for so many women, and her leadership of the court during COVID-19 was commendable, ensuring Queenslanders have continued access to justice during the global pandemic,” the A-G said.
Holmes CJ, she went on, “is one of the foremost legal minds in the state, and she has proved a steadfast leader of the Queensland justice system during her tenure as Chief Justice. I thank the Chief Justice for her service to the courts and to Queensland over her distinguished career”.
