The Mason Conversation

The fifth Mason Conversation featured The Honourable Murray Gleeson AC. Murray Gleeson served as Chief Justice of Australia from 1998 to 2008, and of NSW from 1988 to 1998. He was called to the bar in 1963 and appointed Queen's Counsel in 1974, was President of the NSW Bar Association from 1984 to 1985 and Lieutenant Governor of NSW from 1989 to 1998. He currently serves as a non-permanent judge on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal.

The video of the event is available here, opens in a new window.

The fourth Mason Conversation featured Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC QC.

Beazley is the 39th Governor of New South Wales, commencing her five year tenure on 2 May 2019. Prior to her appointment as Governor, Her Excellency enjoyed a long and distinguished law career spanning 43 years, during which time she served as a role model for women in law at both the State and national level.

Appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1989, in 1993 she was made a judge of the Federal Court of Australia, the first woman to sit exclusively in that Court. In 1996, she achieved the distinction of being the first woman appointed to the New South Wales Court of Appeal and, subsequently, as the first woman to be appointed as its President. She served, on a number of occasions, as Administrator of the Government of the State of New South Wales.

The video of the event is available here.

The third Mason Conversation featured The Honourable Michael McHugh AC QC, former Justice of the High Court of Australia in dialogue with Professor George Williams.

McHugh was first admitted to the New South Wales Bar back in 1961. He was appointed Queen's Counsel (QC) in 1973 and was Vice President of the New South Wales Bar Association, 1978–81, and later as President, 1981–83. He was appointed as a Judge of Appeal of the New South Wales Court of Appeal on 30 October 1984.

McHugh was appointed as a judge of the High Court in February 1989. He held this position until October 2005, and was the Acting Chief Justice for various periods between 1999-2005. After he retired from the High Court, McHugh was appointed as one of the Non-Permanent Justices of the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong, a position also held by Sir Anthony Mason. McHugh currently practises as an independent mediator and arbitrator at Eleven Wentworth in Sydney.

The video of the event is available here.

The second Mason Conversation featured Ms Patricia Anderson AO and Professor Megan Davis in dialogue with Professor George Williams and audience members. Pat Anderson and Megan Davis shared the leadership of a unique and historic public law process in 2016-17: the deliberative Regional Dialogues and First Nations Constitutional Convention that culminated with the Uluru Statement from the Heart. 

The conversational nature of this event allows for unique insights into the people behind processes at the highest level of politics and government in Australia. Pat and Megan are two Aboriginal women from different generations and backgrounds, whose personal and professional experiences are not just remarkable in themselves but also illuminate important dimensions of contemporary Australian society. 

The video of the event is available here.

The Inaugural Mason Conversation featured a dialogue between Sir Anthony Mason, Professor George Williams and members of a large public audience, including many UNSW Law & Justice students. Sir Anthony discussed present trends and future challenges for Australian law and government. He talked about influences and milestones in his long career as barrister, judge and public figure, and his personal reflections were delivered with Sir Anthony’s customary clarity, succinctness and dry wit. 

The video of the event is available here.