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Justices of the High Court

There are 7 Justices of the High Court of Australia.

Justices are appointed by the Federal Government, on advice to the Governor-General.

Since the constitutional amendment of 1977, Justices are required to retire when they turn 70.

The Current Court

Justices of the Australian High Court – Current
No. Name Date
Appointed		 Prime Minister
at time of
appointment		 Party in Govt
at time of
appointment		 Retires
1
 William Gummow Apr 21, 1995 Paul Keating ALP Oct 9, 2012
2
 Kenneth Hayne Sep 22, 1997 John Howard Liberal June 5, 2015
3
 John Dyson Heydon Feb 11, 2003 John Howard Liberal Mar 1, 2013
4
 Susan Crennan Nov 08, 2005 John Howard Liberal Jul 1, 2015
5
 Susan Kiefel Sept 03, 2007 John Howard Liberal Jan 17, 2024
6
 Robert French
(Chief Justice)		 Sep 01, 2008 Kevin Rudd ALP Mar 19, 2017
7
 Virginia Bell Feb 03, 2009 Kevin Rudd ALP Mar 7, 2021

Chief Justices

Chief Justices of the Australian High Court
No. Name Dates Prime Minister
at time of
appointment		 Party in Govt
at time of
appointment
1
 Sir Samuel Griffith 1903-1919 Alfred Deakin Protectionist
2
 Sir Adrian Knox 1919-1930 William Morris Hughes Nationalist
3
 Sir Isaac Isaacs 1930-1931
first
appointed 1906		 James Scullin

Alfred Deakin

 ALP

Protectionist
4
 Sir Frank Gavan Duffy 1931-1935
first
appointed 1913		 James Scullin

Andrew Fisher

 ALP

ALP
5
 Sir John Latham 1935-1952 Joseph Lyons United Australia Party
6
 Sir Owen Dixon 1952-1964
first
appointed 1929		 Robert Menzies

Stanley Bruce

 Liberal Party

Nationalist
7
 Sir Garfield Barwick 1964-1981 Robert Menzies Liberal Party
8
 Sir Harry Gibbs 1981-1987
first
appointed 1970		 Malcolm Fraser

John Gorton

 Liberal Party

Liberal Party
9
 Sir Anthony Mason 1987-1995
first
appointed 1972		 Bob Hawke

William McMahon

 ALP

Liberal Party
10
 Sir Gerard Brennan 1995-1998
first
appointed 1981		 Paul Keating

Malcolm Fraser

 ALP

Liberal Party
11
 Murray Gleeson 1998-2008 John Howard Liberal Party
12
 Robert French 2008- Kevin Rudd ALP

Justices – Complete List

Justices of the Australian High Court – Complete List
No. Name Dates Prime Minister
at time of
appointment		 Party in Govt
at time of
appointment
1
 Sir Samuel Griffith CJ 1903-1919 Alfred Deakin Protectionist
2
 Edmund Barton 1903-1920 Alfred Deakin Protectionist
3
 Richard Edward O’Connor 1903-1912 Alfred Deakin Protectionist
4
 Sir Isaac Isaacs CJ 1906-31
(CJ 1930-31)		 Alfred Deakin Protectionist
5
 Henry Bournes Higgins 1906-1929 Alfred Deakin Protectionist
6
 Sir Frank Gavan Duffy CJ 1913-1935
(CJ 1931-35)		 Andrew Fisher ALP
7
 Sir Charles Powers 1913-1929 Andrew Fisher ALP
8
 Albert Bathurst Piddington 1913-1913 Andrew Fisher ALP
9
 Sir George Rich 1913-1950 Andrew Fisher ALP
10
 Sir Adrian Knox CJ 1919-1930 William Morris Hughes Nationalist
11
 Sir Hayden Starke 1920-1950 WIlliam Morris Hughes Nationalist
12
 Sir Owen Dixon CJ 1929-1964
(CJ 1952-64)		 Stanley Melbourne Bruce Nationalist
13
 Herbert Vere Evatt 1930-1940 James Scullin ALP
14
 Sir Edward McTiernan 1930-1976 James Scullin ALP
15
 Sir John Latham CJ 1935-1952 Joseph Lyons United Australia Party
16
 Sir Dudley Williams 1940-1958 Robert Menzies United Australia Party
17
 Sir William Webb 1946-1958 Ben Chifley ALP
18
 Sir Willfred Fullagar 1950-1961 Robert Menzies Liberal Party
19
 Sir Frank Kitto 1950-1970 Robert Menzies Liberal Party
20
 Sir Alan Taylor 1952-1969 Robert Menzies Liberal Party
21
 Sir Douglas Menzies 1958-1974 Robert Menzies Liberal Party
22
 Sir Victor Windeyer 1958-1972 Robert Menzies Liberal Party
23
 Sir William Owen 1961-1972 Robert Menzies Liberal Party
24
 Sir Garfield Barwick CJ 1964-1981 Robert Menzies Liberal Party
25
 Sir Cyril Walsh 1969-1973 John Gorton Liberal Party
26
 Sir Harry Gibbs 1970-1981
(CJ 1981-87)		 John Gorton Liberal Party
27
 Sir Ninian Stephen 1972-1982 William McMahon Liberal Party
28
 Sir Anthony Mason CJ 1972-95
(CJ 1987-95)		 William McMahon Liberal Party
29
 Sir Kenneth Jacobs 1974-1979 Gough Whitlam ALP
30
 Lionel Keith Murphy 1975-1986 Gough Whitlam ALP
31
 Sir Keith Aickin 1976-1982 Malcolm Fraser Liberal Party
32
 Sir Ronald Wilson 1979-1989 Malcolm Fraser Liberal Party
33
 Sir Gerard Brennan CJ 1981-
(CJ 1995-98)		 Malcolm Fraser Liberal Party
34
 Sir William Deane 1982-1996 Malcolm Fraser Liberal Party
35
 Sir Daryl Dawson 1982-1997 Malcolm Fraser Liberal Party
36
 John Leslie Toohey 1987-1998 Bob Hawke ALP
37
 Mary Genevieve Gaudron 1987-2003 Bob Hawke ALP
38
 Michael Hudson McHugh 1989-2005 Bob Hawke ALP
39
 William Gummow 1995- Paul Keating ALP
40
 Michael Kirby 1996-2009 Paul Keating ALP
41
 Kenneth Hayne 1997- John Howard Liberal
42
 Ian Callinan 1998-2007 John Howard Liberal
43
 Murray Gleeson CJ 1998-2008 John Howard Liberal
44
 John Dyson Heydon 2003- John Howard Liberal
45
 Susan Crennan 2005- John Howard Liberal
46
 Susan Kiefel 2007- John Howard Liberal
47
 Robert French CJ 2008- Kevin Rudd ALP
48
 Virginia Bell 2009- Kevin Rudd ALP
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