Statement re Judicial Appointments and Integrity

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Media Statement

From Justice Michael Walton
President of the Australian Judicial Officers Association

29 May 2023

As the representative body of members of the Australian judiciary, the Australian Judicial Officers Association notes the statements attributed to Justice Joshua Wilson of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1) published in The Guardian newspaper on 27 May 2023. The statements apparently formed part of a paper Justice Wilson intended to provide to a Study Commission held during the course of a forthcoming meeting of the International Association of Judges.

The International Association of Judges is comprised of associations of judicial officers from many nation states. The AJOA is the representative body of Australian judges affiliated with the IAJ.

The statements attributed to Justice Wilson in the article do not represent the views or position of the AJOA. In his proposed paper, his Honour was not authorised to speak on behalf of the AJOA; the views attributed to him are entirely his own.

It is the policy of the AJOA that judicial appointments should be made on merit alone. This principle is a cornerstone of judicial independence. However, any suggestion that merit is incompatible with increased diversity in judicial appointments should be rejected. So too should any suggestion that the Australian judiciary is not of the utmost integrity and standing by world standards.

The Australian Judicial Officers Association is the professional association of judges and magistrates in Australia. For further information, contact Karen Sloan, Australian Judicial Officers Association Secretariat: secretariat@ajoa.asn.au | 02 6125 5763.

The President of the AJOA is not available for broadcast or television interviews on this matter.

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