New Queensland chief justice Catherine Holmes pledges 'un-newsworthy' courts
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Version 0 of 1. Queensland’s new chief justice, Catherine Holmes, has vowed to make the operation of the state’s courts “entirely un-newsworthy” in the wake of highly publicised controversies that plagued the term of her predecessor, Tim Carmody. Holmes, the first female chief justice in the state’s history, said she accepted her appointment “with some trepidation” but wanted to regain stability in the courts, which had been losing staff at a concerning rate “for a variety of reasons”. In a brief address to media at Brisbane’s supreme court on Tuesday – a day after the Palaszczuk government revealed her appointment – Holmes also defended the performance of her peers amid the internal ructions that rocked Carmody’s tenure. “I have accepted the offer of the appointment with some trepidation because I am under no illusion as to the challenge it presents at any time, let alone when it’s been the subject of considerable public attention,” she said. Related: Catherine Holmes is appointed Queensland chief justice, the first woman in the role Holmes said she would not “make sweeping statements about my ambitions for the court when I have not yet got my feet under the desk”. “But I do want to make this point, I have great confidence in this court, and the community too can have great confidence in it,” she said. “I think it is a testament to the fundamental strength of the supreme court bench that despite some pretty serious distractions we have continued to hear cases and produce judgments, just as we have always done.” Holmes’s address, at which journalists were not given the opportunity to ask questions, was in contrast to events surrounding the appointment of Carmody last year. The former chief justice was accompanied by then premier Campbell Newman at a press conference, where he was forced to fend off questions about his independence from the government of the day. Carmody then appeared on morning talk radio programs to defend his appointment and speak of his vision for the courts. He stepped down after just a year in the role after a series of controversies and criticisms over his work rate, legal ability and relations with fellow judges. Holmes said it was her aim to “produce as calm a work environment as possible”. “In recent times, I think for a variety of reasons there has been a level of movement and attrition which is not good for any organisation. I would like to achieve some stability,” she said. “My great hope, which may disappoint you, will be to make court itself entirely un-newsworthy, as opposed to the cases which pass through it.” Holmes noted the current shortfall in trial judges to hear cases, in light of Carmody’s departure to the Queensland civil administrative tribunal. She said she would be “sitting in court as much as I can”, while vowing to attend courts around the state extensively. Holmes, the daughter of a labourer and a bookkeeper, was the state’s second most senior judge, previously having served on the appeal court bench since 2006. |