Attorney-General for Australia



























Attorney-General

Christian Porter Portrait 2015.jpg

Incumbent
Christian Porter

since 20 December 2017 (2017-12-20)
Attorney-General's Department
Style The Honourable
Appointer
Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Australia
Inaugural holder Alfred Deakin
Formation 1 January 1901 (1901-01-01)






































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The Attorney-General for Australia[note 1] is the First Law Officer of the Crown in right of the Commonwealth of Australia, chief law officer of the Commonwealth of Australia and a minister of the Crown. The Attorney-General is usually a member of the Federal Cabinet, but need not be. Under the Constitution, they are appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister, and serve at the Governor-General's pleasure. In practice, the Attorney-General is a party politician and their tenure is determined by political factors. By convention, but not constitutional requirement, the Attorney-General is a lawyer by training (either a barrister or solicitor).


Since 20 December 2017, the Attorney-General has been Christian Porter, a Liberal member of the House of Representatives from Western Australia.




Contents






  • 1 History


  • 2 Role and Functions


    • 2.1 Role


    • 2.2 Functions


    • 2.3 Relationship with the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation




  • 3 List of Attorneys-General


  • 4 Attorneys-General of the States and Territories


  • 5 See also


  • 6 Notes


  • 7 References


  • 8 External links





History


The Attorney-General is nearly always a person with legal training, and eleven former Attorneys-General have received senior judicial appointments after their ministerial service.


Billy Hughes was the longest-serving Attorney-General of Australia, serving for thirteen and a half years over four non-consecutive terms; this included six years during his own prime ministership.


Historically, the attorney-generalship was seen as a stepping stone to higher office – Alfred Deakin, Billy Hughes, and Robert Menzies all became prime minister, while John Latham, H. V. Evatt, and Billy Snedden were leaders of the opposition. Lionel Bowen was deputy prime minister under Bob Hawke in the 1980s. Additionally, four former attorneys-general have won appointment to the High Court – Isaac Isaacs, H. B. Higgins, John Latham, Garfield Barwick, and Lionel Murphy. Isaacs later became Governor-General.



Role and Functions



Role


The Attorney-General is the minister responsible for legal affairs, national and public security. The Attorney-General also serves as a general legal adviser to the Cabinet, and has carriage of legislation dealing with copyright, human rights and a range of other subjects. Those objectives are Australian Legal Commissions as legal instrument in Constitutional Powers, and ACLEI, operations Agency.



Functions


Functions of the state and federal attorneys-general include the administration of the selection of persons for nomination to judicial posts and the authorizing of prosecutions. In normal circumstances, the prosecutorial powers of the Attorney-General are exercised by the Director of Public Prosecutions and staff; however, the Attorney-General maintains formal control—including the power to initiate and terminate public prosecutions and take over private prosecutions.


Statutory criminal law provides that prosecutions for certain offences require the individual consent of the Attorney-General. This is generally for offences whose illegality is of a somewhat controversial nature or where there is perceived to be a significant risk that prosecutions of a political nature may be embarked upon. The Attorney-General also generally has the power to issue certificates legally conclusive of certain facts (e.g., that the revelation of certain matters in court proceedings might constitute a risk to national security); the facts stated in such certificates must be accepted by the courts and cannot legally be disputed by any parties. The Attorney-General also has the power to issue a nolle prosequi with respect to a case, which authoritatively determines that the state (in whose name prosecutions are brought) does not wish to prosecute the case, so preventing any person from doing so.



Relationship with the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation


See: Australian Security Intelligence Organisation



List of Attorneys-General


The following individuals have been appointed as Attorney-General for Australia:[1]




























































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































Order
Minister
Party
Prime Minister
Prior legal experience

Alma mater
Term start
Term end
Term in office
1

Alfred Deakin KC
 

Protectionist

Barton

Barrister

University of Melbourne
1 January 1901 (1901-01-01)
24 September 1903 (1903-09-24)
2 years, 266 days
2

Senator James Drake

Deakin
Barrister

King's College School, London
24 September 1903 (1903-09-24)
27 April 1904 (1904-04-27)
216 days
3

H. B. Higgins QC


Protectionist1

Watson
Barrister
University of Melbourne
27 April 1904 (1904-04-27)
17 August 1904 (1904-08-17)
112 days
4
Senator Sir Josiah Symon, KCMG, QC


Free Trade

Reid
Barrister

Free Church Training College
17 August 1904 (1904-08-17)
5 July 1905 (1905-07-05)
322 days
5

Isaac Isaacs QC

Protectionist
Deakin
Barrister
University of Melbourne
5 July 1905 (1905-07-05)
12 October 1906 (1906-10-12)
1 year, 99 days
6

Littleton Groom KC


Lawyer
University of Melbourne
12 October 1906 (1906-10-12)
13 November 1908 (1908-11-13)
2 years, 32 days
7

Billy Hughes, KC2


Labor

Fisher
Barrister
n/a
13 November 1908 (1908-11-13)
2 June 1909 (1909-06-02)
201 days
8

Paddy Glynn, KCMG, KC


Commonwealth
Liberal
Deakin
Barrister

Trinity College, Dublin
2 June 1909 (1909-06-02)
29 April 1910 (1910-04-29)
331 days

n/a
Billy Hughes KC

Labor
Fisher
Barrister
n/a
29 April 1910 (1910-04-29)
24 June 1913 (1913-06-24)
3 years, 56 days
9

William Irvine KC

Commonwealth
Liberal

Cook
Barrister
Trinity College, Dublin; University of Melbourne
24 June 1913 (1913-06-24)
17 September 1914 (1914-09-17)
1 year, 85 days

n/a
Billy Hughes KC

Labor
Fisher
Barrister
n/a
17 September 1914 (1914-09-17)
27 October 1915 (1915-10-27)
7 years, 95 days

Hughes
27 October 1915 (1915-10-27)
14 November 1916 (1916-11-14)


National Labor
14 November 1916 (1916-11-14)
13 June 1917 (1917-06-13)


Nationalist
13 June 1917 (1917-06-13)
21 December 1921 (1921-12-21)

n/a
Sir Littleton Groom, KCMG, KC

Lawyer
University of Melbourne
21 December 1921 (1921-12-21)
9 February 1923 (1923-02-09)
3 years, 362 days


Bruce
9 February 1923 (1923-02-09)
18 December 1925 (1925-12-18)
10

John Latham KC

Barrister
University of Melbourne
18 December 1925 (1925-12-18)
22 October 1929 (1929-10-22)
3 years, 308 days
11

Frank Brennan

Labor

Scullin
Barrister
University of Melbourne
22 October 1929 (1929-10-22)
6 January 1932 (1932-01-06)
2 years, 76 days

n/a
Sir John Latham, GCMG, KC


United Australia

Lyons
Barrister
University of Melbourne
6 January 1932 (1932-01-06)
12 October 1934 (1934-10-12)
2 years, 279 days
12

Robert Menzies KC

Barrister
University of Melbourne
12 October 1934 (1934-10-12)
20 March 1939 (1939-03-20)
4 years, 159 days

n/a
Billy Hughes, CH, KC

Barrister
n/a
20 March 1939 (1939-03-20)
7 April 1939 (1939-04-07)
2 years, 201 days


Page
7 April 1939 (1939-04-07)
26 April 1939 (1939-04-26)

Menzies
26 April 1939 (1939-04-26)
29 August 1941 (1941-08-29)


Fadden
29 August 1941 (1941-08-29)
7 October 1941 (1941-10-07)
13
Dr. H. V. Evatt KC

Labor

Curtin
Barrister, Judge

University of Sydney
7 October 1941 (1941-10-07)
6 July 1945 (1945-07-06)

8 years, 73 days


Forde
6 July 1945 (1945-07-06)
13 July 1945 (1945-07-13)


Chifley
13 July 1945 (1945-07-13)
19 December 1949 (1949-12-19)
14
Senator John Spicer KC


Liberal

Menzies
Barrister
University of Melbourne
19 December 1949 (1949-12-19)
14 August 1956 (1956-08-14)
6 years, 239 days
15
Senator Neil O'Sullivan

Solicitor

15 August 1956 (1956-08-15)
12 October 1958 (1958-10-12)
2 years, 58 days
16
Sir Garfield Barwick QC

Barrister
University of Sydney
12 October 1958 (1958-10-12)
4 March 1964 (1964-03-04)
5 years, 144 days
17

Billy Snedden QC

Barrister

University of Western Australia
4 March 1964 (1964-03-04)
26 January 1966 (1966-01-26)
2 years, 285 days


Holt
26 January 1966 (1966-01-26)
14 December 1966 (1966-12-14)
18

Nigel Bowen QC

Barrister
University of Sydney
14 December 1966 (1966-12-14)
19 December 1967 (1967-12-19)
2 years, 333 days


McEwen
19 December 1967 (1967-12-19)
10 January 1968 (1968-01-10)


Gorton
10 January 1968 (1968-01-10)
12 November 1969 (1969-11-12)
19

Tom Hughes QC

Barrister
University of Sydney
12 November 1969 (1969-11-12)
10 March 1971 (1971-03-10)
1 year, 130 days


McMahon
10 March 1971 (1971-03-10)
22 March 1971 (1971-03-22)

n/a
Nigel Bowen

Barrister
University of Sydney
22 March 1971 (1971-03-22)
2 August 1971 (1971-08-02)
133 days
20
Senator Ivor Greenwood QC

Barrister
University of Melbourne
2 August 1971 (1971-08-02)
5 December 1972 (1972-12-05)
1 year, 125 days
21

Gough Whitlam QC3

Labor
Whitlam
Barrister
University of Sydney
5 December 1972 (1972-12-05)
19 December 1972 (1972-12-19)
14 days
22
Senator Lionel Murphy QC

Barrister
University of Sydney
19 December 1972 (1972-12-19)
10 February 1975 (1975-02-10)
2 years, 53 days
23

Kep Enderby QC

Barrister
University of Sydney
University of London
10 February 1975 (1975-02-10)
11 November 1975 (1975-11-11)
274 days

n/a
Senator Ivor Greenwood QC

Liberal

Fraser
Barrister
University of Melbourne
11 November 1975 (1975-11-11)
22 December 1975 (1975-12-22)
41 days
24

Bob Ellicott QC

Barrister
University of Sydney
22 December 1975 (1975-12-22)
6 September 1977 (1977-09-06)
1 year, 258 days
25
Senator Peter Durack QC

Barrister
University of Western Australia
Lincoln College, Oxford
6 September 1977 (1977-09-06)
11 March 1983 (1983-03-11)
5 years, 186 days
26
Senator Gareth Evans QC

Labor

Hawke
Barrister
University of Melbourne
Magdalen College, Oxford
11 March 1983 (1983-03-11)
13 December 1984 (1984-12-13)
1 year, 277 days
27

Lionel Bowen

Solicitor
University of Sydney
13 December 1984 (1984-12-13)
4 April 1990 (1990-04-04)
5 years, 112 days
28

Michael Duffy, ONZ

Solicitor
University of Melbourne
4 April 1990 (1990-04-04)
27 December 1991 (1991-12-27)
2 years, 354 days


Keating
27 December 1991 (1991-12-27)
24 March 1993 (1993-03-24)

29

Duncan Kerr4

Labor
Keating
Barrister

University of Tasmania
1 April 1993 (1993-04-01)
27 April 1993 (1993-04-27)
26 days
30

Michael Lavarch

Solicitor

Queensland University of Technology
27 April 1993 (1993-04-27)
11 March 1996 (1996-03-11)
2 years, 319 days
31

Daryl Williams, AM, QC

Liberal

Howard
Barrister
University of Western Australia
Wadham College, Oxford
11 March 1996 (1996-03-11)
7 October 2003 (2003-10-07)
7 years, 210 days
32

Philip Ruddock

Solicitor
University of Sydney
7 October 2003 (2003-10-07)
3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)
4 years, 57 days
33

Robert McClelland

Labor

Rudd
Solicitor
University of New South Wales
University of Sydney
3 December 2007 (2007-12-03)
24 June 2010 (2010-06-24)
4 years, 11 days


Gillard
24 June 2010 (2010-06-24)
14 December 2011 (2011-12-14)
34

Nicola Roxon

Solicitor
University of Melbourne
14 December 2011 (2011-12-14)
2 February 2013 (2013-02-02)
1 year, 50 days
35

Mark Dreyfus QC

Barrister
University of Melbourne
2 February 2013 (2013-02-02)
26 June 2013 (2013-06-26)
228 days

Rudd
26 June 2013 (2013-06-26)
18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)
36
Senator George Brandis QC
 

Liberal National

Abbott
Barrister

University of Queensland; Magdalen College, Oxford
18 September 2013 (2013-09-18)
15 September 2015 (2015-09-15)
4 years, 93 days


Turnbull
15 September 2015 (2015-09-15)
20 December 2017 (2017-12-20)
37

Christian Porter


Liberal
Lawyer
University of Western Australia, London School of Economics
20 December 2017 (2017-12-20)
24 August 2018
1 year, 82 days

Morrison
24 August 2018

Incumbent

Notes




1 A member of the Protectionist Party, Higgins served in the Labor ministry of Chris Watson, because Labor had no suitably qualified lawyer in Parliament.


2 Hughes took silk in 1909, and became a King's Counsel.[2]


3 Whitlam served as part of a two-man ministry together with Lance Barnard for fourteen days, until the full ministry was commissioned.


4 Prime Minister Paul Keating's original choice for Attorney-General in 1993 had been Michael Lavarch, but Lavarch's re-election was delayed by the death of an opposing candidate for the seat of Dickson; Duncan Kerr held the portfolio in the interim until Lavarch won the resulting supplementary election. Kerr served as Attorney-General for 26 days. There was no Attorney-General for the eight days between Duffy's commission ending on 24 March 1993 and Kerr's commission commencing on 1 April 1993.



Attorneys-General of the States and Territories


The Australian states each have separate attorneys-general, who are state ministers with similar responsibilities to the federal minister with respect to state law. For Attorneys-General of the various states and territories of Australia, see:



  • Attorney-General of the Australian Capital Territory

  • Attorney-General of New South Wales

  • Attorney-General of the Northern Territory

  • Attorney-General of Queensland

  • Attorney-General of South Australia

  • Attorney-General of Tasmania

  • Attorney-General of Victoria

  • Attorney-General of Western Australia



See also



  • Attorney general

  • Justice ministry



Notes





  1. ^ The title is officially "Attorney-General". For the purposes of distinguishing the office from other Attorneys-General, and in accordance with usual practice in the United Kingdom and other common law jurisdictions, the Australian Attorney-General currently refers to themselves as the "Attorney-General for Australia" or the "Commonwealth Attorney-General": see Attorney-General website. Historically, "Attorney-General of Australia" was also used.




References





  1. ^ "Ministries and Cabinets". 43rd Parliamentary Handbook: Historical information on the Australian Parliament. Parliament of Australia. 2010. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2013..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}


  2. ^ "William Morris Hughes: Before office". Australia's Prime Ministers. National Archives of Australia. Retrieved 15 July 2013.




External links







  • Official website

  • Departmental official website









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