Fed: Speculation over Williams returning to law

AAP General News (Australia)
04-06-2004
Fed: Speculation over Williams returning to law

CANBERRA, April 6 AAP - Communications Minister Daryl Williams' retirement announcement
has sparked speculation he may go back to law.

Mr Williams, 61, was attorney-general for seven years until his switch to communications
last September and was a Queen's Counsel and distinguished barrister before entering politics
11 years ago.

Yesterday he announced he would retire from his West Australian seat at the next election,
due later this year.

Two years ago he was nominated for a vacancy on the High Court while he was still attorney-general.

The speculation has come in the wake of two senior positions becoming vacant, on the
Court of Appeal in WA and the Family Court.

WA Law Society president Ian Weldon said Mr Williams could have been a judge many years
ago had he not entered politics, but a legal career was still open to him.

"I would have thought that if that's what he wanted to do it wouldn't be too late,"

Mr Weldon told ABC radio today.

Mr Weldon said Mr Williams had been an obvious choice to replace Justice Mary Gaudron
on the High Court two years ago.

"People with a national profile and ability but with a West Australian background,
he was a fairly obvious choice," Mr Weldon said.

Mr Williams said yesterday he thought he had another career ahead of him, but had not
decided on his future.

"I still have my robes, so going back to the law is a possibility," Mr Williams said.

Prominent WA Liberal and City of Melville mayor Katherine Jackson said Mr Williams
would make a good judge.

"He's very highly regarded for his legal mind and his critical thinking and I think
that would be a well deserved position and many people would support him in that role,"

Ms Jackson said.

But shadow attorney-general Nicola Roxon said Labor would not support Mr Williams'
appointment as chief justice of the Family Court.

"Clearly that is a senior federal appointment which does have to be filled by this
government," Ms Roxon told ABC radio.

"I would think it would be very surprising if Daryl Williams was the person with the
most experience for that appointment and we would be concerned how that would politicise
the court.

"But I think the biggest question is this has been an attorney who's spent a lot of
time attacking the court - is it appropriate for him then to be appointed to it?"

AAP pjo/maur

KEYWORD: WILLIAMS LAW

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