A message from the Outgoing President
22 November 2024
The Annual General Meeting of the Australian Bar Association took place on the afternoon of Wednesday 20 November in Sydney. In doing so, it marks the end of my second year-long term as President, and the election of a new, but familiar, Executive for 2025.
The 2025 Australian Bar Association Executive
At the AGM, the following office-bearers were elected:
- President: Róisín Annesley KC (VIC)
- Senior Vice-President: Michael Izzo SC (NSW)
- Junior Vice-President: Damien O’Brien KC (QLD)
- Treasurer: Andrew Muller SC (ACT)
- Chair of the Advocacy Training Council: Ian Robertson-Clark SC (SA)
- Chair of Conferences: Sam Hay KC (VIC)
By operation of the Constitution, I will become the Immediate Past President during Róisín Annesley KC’s time as president.
If I may say so, those elected make a fine Executive. I wish them well, and know that the association is in excellent hands.
Thanks to the Executive, Council members and staff of the state and territory associations
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Executive with whom I have served over the last two years as President: Róisín Annesley KC, Michael Izzo SC, Dominic Toomey SC, Andrew Muller SC, Ian Robertson-Clark SC and Sam Hay KC. Each contributed in a meaningful way to the work of the Australian Bar Association.
I would also like to thank the Directors of the Australian Bar Association with whom I have had the good fortune to work over the last two years as President:
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ACT
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NSW
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NT
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QLD
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SA
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TAS
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VIC
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WA
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I would also like to express my appreciation to the staff of the various state and territory associations for their support of the Australian Bar Association during the period of my presidency:
- Jo Dean-Ritchie and Tim Kapustin of the ACT Bar
- Andreas Heger of the NSW Bar
- Kelsey Rissman and Kasey Rowland of the Bar Association of Queensland
- Nicola Julius and Georgia Lloyd of the SA Bar
- Amanda Utt of VicBar
- Debbie Cole of the WA Bar
All of the Executive, the Directors and staff of the state and territory bar associations have been as delightful and companionable as they were efficient and helpful.
Thanks to the staff of the Australian Bar Association
I would particularly like to note and express my gratitude for the outstanding assistance I have received from the CEO of the Australian Bar Association, Greg Tolhurst; the CFO, Kelsey Rissman; and the executive assistant, Liz Barr. Each of them have provided great assistance to me, and ultimately to yourselves, in the professional discharge of their functions.
Constitutional changes
Over the period 2023 and 2024, the Australian Bar Association has made a series of constitutional amendments to promote its efficiency and continuity, so as to best represent its members as the peak body for Australian barristers.
In that regard, constitutional changes have been made to create a Chair of Conferences; make the promulgation of Best Practice Guidelines an object of the Australian Bar Association; the creation of positions of Immediate Past President and Senior and Junior Vice-Presidents.
Alongside this, arrangements have been put in place, the steps for which were commenced under my predecessors, Matt Collins AM KC and Matt Howard SC (as Howard J then was), to place the Australian Bar Association on a footing where it has cost-effective and permanent staffing.
The continuing role of the Australian Bar Association
Core to the function of the Australian Bar Association is the support of the bar nationally. The Australian Bar Association has a special role in supporting the smaller bars throughout Australia and their associations to ensure that the bar’s instrumental contribution to the rule of law in Australia is supported across all population areas.
It is, and will remain, important for the Australian Bar Association to support and advocate in relation to issues as they arise from time to time, such as the appropriate formulation of anti-money laundering legislation, the protection of judicial independence on issues such as the attempt to unfairly tax Commonwealth and Territory judicial pensions, the promotion of Best Practice Guidelines, and the creation of the Australian Council of Law Reporting to promote inexpensive access to authorised reports of all Australian courts.
Life and honorary members
At the AGM on Wednesday evening, the Australian Bar Association resolved to appoint the following persons as life or honorary members of the Australian Bar Association for their distinguished service to our national bar.
Life member
The Hon. Alan Blow AO CJ, shortly to retire as Chief Justice of Tasmania, was made a life member of the association.
Honorary members
The CEO, Greg Tolhurst, and the CFO, Kelsey Rissman, were each made honorary members of the Australian Bar Association for their long service to the association and their contribution to ensuring its progress into the future.
Farewell and thank you
It has been my privilege and pleasure to have served as President of the Australian Bar Association for the last two years. I wish you all well in the future.
Peter Dunning KC
Immediate Past President, Australian Bar Association