South Australian Bar Association

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (15:02): My question is to the Attorney-General. Will the minister inform the council about this year's milestone anniversary of the South Australian Bar Association?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:03): I would be happy to. I thank the honourable member for his question. It was a privilege to recently attend the 60^th anniversary of the South Australian Bar Association. This important occasion was masterfully hosted by the Hon. Justice Ben Doyle, with a keynote speech delivered by the Hon. Robert Beech-Jones, Justice of the High Court of Australia.

Justice Beech-Jones spoke of the collegial nature of our local independent bar, which combines civil, cordial respect for other members with a fierce dedication to the interests of their clients. He spoke about the importance of new members of the bar and welcomed bar readers to the profession. He highlighted South Australia's impressive history of legal firsts—the first in relation to women's suffrage and enfranchisement, the first female silk appointed, the first female Supreme Court judge—and also mentioned, as part of his speech, the first Aboriginal Voice to Parliament in this nation.

The event was also important recognition of the impact of one particular South Australian legal identity, the Hon. Christopher Legoe AO KC, who at the age of 96 represented his incredible legacy through his attendance at the event and an address to the gathered profession.

After receiving his law degree from Cambridge University, Christopher Legoe returned to Adelaide and became an associate to Sir Geoffrey Reed KC. In 1955, Legoe wrote to the then Law Society of South Australia President, Frank Piper, to ask to be granted an exemption from the keeping of a trust account to set up a practice solely as a barrister. This was a new direction for the state's fused legal profession and, as I understand at the time, not without controversy.

After seven years of sole practice, Legoe was joined by Jack Elliott, Robin Millhouse and Howard Zelling. At the first official meeting of the South Australian Bar Association in December of 1964, all four practitioners signed an exercise book, which then went on to become South Australia's official bar roll. The South Australian independent bar now stands at around 300 members. I congratulate and extend my thanks to the South Australian Bar Association, especially president Dr Rachael Gray KC, and executive officer Georgia Lloyd.

The independent bar is a cornerstone of a functional and just legal system, and I thank all members for their services to the state of South Australia, and wish them all the best in this year, the 60^th anniversary of the existence of the Bar Association.