Kirby To Pack It In Early

Local News, By gnosis, 19th September, 2008

Openly-gay High Court Judge Michael Kirby has indicated that he’ll hang up his judge’s wig later this year if the changes to same-sex entitlements pass through Federal Parliament soon.

The man known as “The Great Dissenter” told his High Court colleagues that he would retire later this year if the changes are put through rather than waiting until his 70th birthday when the self-confessed workaholic is forced into retirement by constitutional law on March 18th.

The change of the discriminatory legislation, one of 58 the new legislation entered this month aims to amend, means that Justice Kirby’s partner of 40 years, Johan van Vloten, would be entitled to inherit Kirby’s judicial pension should Kirby passaway before van Vloten.

Despite appearing at the recent swearing in of Chief Justic Robert French, Justice Kirby has been out of character with his absense from a recent High Court trial for two convicted drug smugglers. Justice Kirby, who once listed his favourite recreational activity as “work”, will only hear selected cases between now and the end of the year.

With an early retirement by Justice Kirby on the cards, the hunt for his replacement is on. We can only hope Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will pick a replacement who will live up to Kirby’s “dissenter” reputation and keep up the fight for gay rights.

Your Thoughts

blueterrace

said ages ago

Your comments about that evil snake Hefferenan are spot on! Sad to see Kirby step down, he spoke up for right and reason man times. Its kind of amazing that a 70 year old judge is such revered figure in our community.

blueterrace

said ages ago

.

GenesisInVain

said ages ago

Oh no :( Good on him for all he's done , I hope he enjoys a lovely retirement! He's done so much for our community.

hazyinseptember

said ages ago

this is sad .. but also good! he's work long and hard and i really do hope he gets to retire early - victorious!!

isobelconnell

said ages ago

sad that he's retiring, but hope he and his partner enjoy retirement and if he's a 'workaholic' he'll probably end up volunteering in his spare time or something :)

isobelconnell

said ages ago

sad that he's retiring, but hope he and his partner enjoy retirement and if he's a 'workaholic' he'll probably end up volunteering in his spare time or something :)

amylea

said ages ago

my girlfriend is totally in love with kirby and we are going to meet him next week!!

rudeboy86

said ages ago

I would like to meet him at some stage...he was on radio a while ago about some event he was holding with some grafitti and hip hop artists who were rather amazed to see that a Judge of all people would give a shit about them. Kirby gave one of the guys a poem by Yeats to do in hiphop style which I thought was kinda sweet.

mellymoo

said ages ago

my hero!

Totka

said ages ago

He may retire, but, I dont think he be an easy man to keep quiet. In fact I wouldn't be surprised to see him even more active in Community politics.

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