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A new Judge Advocate General and Deputy Judge Advocate General (Navy) for the Australian Defence Force have been appointed, replacing Rear Admiral the Honourable Justice Michael Slattery, who has served in the position since 2014.
Rear Admiral the Honourable Jack Rush, RFD, QC, was appointed to the position of Judge Advocate General (JAG) of the Australian Defence Force last week, and will be supported by Commodore James Renwick, CSC, SC, as the Deputy JAG for the Navy.
The president of the Law Council, Dr Jacoba Brasch QC, welcomed the appointments.
“Over the past seven years, while simultaneously undertaking full-time duties as a Judge of the NSW Supreme Court, RADM Slattery has performed his functions as JAG with evident distinction, as demonstrated by his annual reports to Parliament,” Brasch noted.
“One important achievement was his decision to direct publication of the results of Courts Martial and defence Force Magistrate trials which, as he explained in his 2019 Annual Report (para 74) brings ‘ADF practice into closer alignment with that of civilian courts and the armed forces of the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.’
“The new JAG, RADM Rush, is one of the most prominent lawyers in Australia, and is a former Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria President of the Victorian Bar Council and took silk in 1992.
“The new DJAG-N, CDRE Renwick, is a former Independent National Security Legislation Monitor, a Fulbright Scholar, an Honorary Professor at the Australian National University and took silk in 2011.
“The Law Council acknowledges the distinguished service of RADM Slattery and wishes the new JAG and DJAG-N well in their important roles.”
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