Susan Kiefel has been sworn in as Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia.
Kiefel was sworn in at 10am in a ceremony at the High Court in Canberra. The Attorney-General, Senator George Brandis, dressed in wig and gown, addressed the court following the ceremony.
Kiefel, 63, is the 13th Chief Justice of the court since it was established in 1903. She succeeds Robert French, who served from 2008.
Under of the Section 72 of the Constitutution, Kiefel must retire by January 17, 2024, when she turns 70.
When the Howard government appointed Kiefel to the court as a Justice, in 2007, she was the 46th person to be appointed to the High Court and the third woman. She is the first female Chief Justice. There are two other women on the seven-member court, Virginia Bell and Michelle Gordon.
James Edelman was also sworn in today as a Justice of the High Court. The 53rd Justice, Edelman, 43, will be the youngest member of the court. He is eligible to serve until January 2044.
- Justices and Chief Justice of the High Court Since 1903
- Nov 29, 2016: Turnbull Government Appoints Susan Kiefel Chief Justice of the High Court
