Justice Kenneth Hayne will be forced by s 24 of the Constitution to retire in June when he turns 70, and the Government has announced he will be replaced on the bench by his wife, current Federal Court Justice Michelle Gordon. The appointment has been “widely applauded” by the legal profession. Justice Gordon has a very strong reputation as a lawyer and judge, and is a specialist in taxation and commercial law. Professor Andrew Lynch welcomed the decision to appoint a judge who would sit for 20 years: “There is a lot to be said for a bit of constancy.” While it is sometimes suggested that governments make such long appointments because they expect political support, only last month Justice Gordon made a high profile decision against the government. The appointment also answers concerns about gender balance on the High Court bench, restoring the proportion of women to 3 out of 7.
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