Issued 9 April 2013 Former NSW Chief Justice appointed to Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Former NSW Chief Justice James Spigelman has been appointed to the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal. The appointment was announced yesterday in Hong Kong, jointly by the court’s Chief Justice, Mr Geoffrey Ma Tao-li, and the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Mr C Y Leung. The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal is the highest appellate court in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Established in 1997, it has the power of final adjudication with respect to the civil and criminal laws of Hong Kong. It comprises permanent Hong Kong judges, non-permanent Hong Kong judges and non- permanent common law judges from other jurisdictions. The Honourable Mr Justice Spigelman has been appointed a non-permanent judge from another common law jurisdiction. He will sit on appeals for a period of time each 12 to 18 months. He joins other distinguished Australian jurists previously appointed including three former Chief Justices of Australia, Sir Anthony Mason, Sir Gerard Brennan and Murray Gleeson, and, also announced yesterday, Justice William Gummow. The Honourable Mr Justice Spigelman was appointed NSW Chief Justice in May 1998 and served until May 2011. He is currently Chair of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (since April 2012). NSW Chief Justice Tom Bathurst congratulated his predecessor on this most recent appointment. "In addition to his significant contribution to the law in this state and country, Mr Spigelman was responsible for engaging with our legal colleagues throughout the Asian region in a way that had never been done before," Chief Justice Bathurst said. "His appointment to the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal will continue this important tradition." _____________________________________________________________________________________ Media contacts: Sonya Zadel Kerrie Douglass Public Information Officer (Mon-Wed) Public Information Officer (Thurs-Fri) (02) 9230 8190 (w) (02) 9230 8190 (w) 0428 110 682 (m) 0411 235 740 (m) [email protected] [email protected].