Bob Ellicott
Robert James Ellicott AC, QC (born 15 April 1927) is an Australian lawyer, politician and judge.[1] Ellicott is one of only six politicians to have served in both the Parliament of Australia and the Federal Court of Australia, along with Nigel Bowen, Merv Everett, Tony Whitlam, John Reeves and Duncan Kerr. From 1975 to 1977, Ellicott was the 24th Attorney-General for Australia during the Malcolm Fraser ministry.
Bob Ellicott AC, QC | |
---|---|
Member of the Australian Parliament for Wentworth | |
In office 18 May 1974 – 17 February 1981 | |
Preceded by | Les Bury |
Succeeded by | Peter Coleman |
24th Attorney-General for Australia | |
In office 22 December 1975 – 6 September 1977 | |
Prime Minister | Malcolm Fraser |
Preceded by | Kep Enderby |
Succeeded by | Peter Durack |
Personal details | |
Born | Moree, New South Wales, Australia | 15 April 1927
Nationality | Australian |
Political party | Liberal Party of Australia |
Occupation | Barrister |
Early life
Born in Moree, New South Wales, Ellicott attended Fort Street High School and the University of Sydney.[2]
Career
Ellicott was admitted to the New South Wales Bar in 1950 and was Solicitor-General of Australia from 1969 to 1973.[3]
He was elected as the Liberal member for the Division of Wentworth in the 1974 election. He was Attorney-General in the Fraser Ministry from 1975 to 1977. Ellicott resigned as Attorney-General as a result of a dispute with Malcolm Fraser over the payment of costs in the Sankey v Whitlam case,[4] where he believed that the Commonwealth should have paid the costs of the private individual, Danny Sankey, as well as those of the politicians, Gough Whitlam, Rex Connor, Jim Cairns and Lionel Murphy, but Fraser disagreed.[5] Ellicott was reappointed in the third Fraser Ministry (1977 to 1980) as Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Capital Territory. He was Minister for Home Affairs and the Environment from November 1980 until his resignation on 17 February 1981 to become a judge on the Federal Court of Australia.
Ellicott resigned from the court in February 1983.[6] He is currently an arbitrator on the Court of Arbitration for Sport.[7] On 20 November 2007, he was named as chair of the tribunal to investigate allegations of misbehaviour against the suspended Chief Justice of Fiji, Daniel Fatiaki.[8]
Honours
In May 2006, the Australian Olympic Committee awarded him the Olympic Order of Merit, particularly in his role of establishing the Australian Institute of Sport when Minister for Home Affairs.[9] In October 2016, he was inducted as a General Member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.[10] In 2017 Ellicott was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia for eminent service to the Parliament of Australia, particularly as Attorney-General, to legal practice and innovative policy development, to advancements in global trade law, and to the international arbitration of sporting disputes.[11]
Personal life
He is the double cousin of Sir Garfield Barwick, who like him attended Fort Street and the University of Sydney, was also an Attorney-General, and was later Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia.[12]
References
- "Members of the House of Representatives since 1901". Parliamentary Handbook. Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 1 September 2007. Retrieved 21 September 2007.
- Sports Australia Hall of Fame - Bob Ellicott
- "Board of Directors". Life Education Australia. Archived from the original on 31 August 2007. Retrieved 21 September 2007.
- Sankey v Whitlam [1978] HCA 43, (1978) 142 CLR 1 (9 November 1978), High Court.
- Leigh, Andrew (1999). "The successful Attorney General – an oxymoron?" (PDF). Australian Law Journal. 73 (2). Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 May 2005. Retrieved 21 September 2007.
- "Alphabetical list of former judges". Federal Court of Australia. Retrieved 21 September 2007.
- "Arbitrators". Court of Arbitration for Sport. Archived from the original on 26 August 2007. Retrieved 21 September 2007.
- "Fatiaki tribunal named". Fiji Times. Archived from the original on 23 February 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2007.
- "Kemp and Ellicott awarded Olympic Order of Merit". Australian Olympic Committee News. Retrieved 8 April 2013.
- "King Wally becomes a Legend as Michelle Payne rides off with the 'The [sic] Don'". Sport Australia Hall of Fame website. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- "Companion (AC) in the General Division of the Order of Australia" (PDF). Australia Day 2017 Honours List. Governor-General of Australia. 26 January 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 January 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
- http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/with-nod-and-wink-to-past-its-more-fodder-for-maintaining-the-rage-20120830-253c5.html
Political offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Ivor Greenwood |
Attorney General of Australia 1975–1977 |
Succeeded by Peter Durack |
Preceded by Tony Staley |
Minister for the Capital Territory 1977–1980 |
Succeeded by Michael Hodgman |
New title | Minister for Home Affairs 1977–1980 |
Succeeded by Michael MacKellar |
Minister for Home Affairs and the Environment 1980–1981 | ||
Parliament of Australia | ||
Preceded by Les Bury |
Member for Division of Wentworth 1974–1981 |
Succeeded by Peter Coleman |
Government offices | ||
Preceded by Anthony Mason |
Solicitor-General of Australia 1969–1973 |
Succeeded by Maurice Byers |