Page 555 - Week 02 - Thursday, 21 February 2019
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Despite not originally being from Canberra, Justice Miles would come to love this city. He said:
I liked Canberra—I knew it a bit because my parents had lived here, and during the time I was on the bench, I was just caught up in the work, there was no question of going anywhere else, our children were brought up here.
Despite intending to spend his retirement in Sydney, after only six months of living in Sydney Justice Miles and his wife moved back to Canberra. We can all imagine exactly why.
The Canberra community has benefited greatly from Justice Miles’s many years of service. On behalf of the ACT Greens, I convey my thoughts and sympathies to his wife, Tricia; his children, Anna Sinclair and James Miles; and his grandchildren.
MR RAMSAY (Ginninderra—Attorney-General, Minister for the Arts and Cultural Events, Minister for Building Quality Improvement, Minister for Business and Regulatory Services and Minister for Seniors and Veterans) (10.14): As Attorney-General I am pleased to rise and support the Chief Minister’s motion of condolence on the passing of the Hon Jeffrey Miles AO, former Chief Justice of the ACT Supreme Court from 1985 to 2002.
As has already been well outlined in this Assembly, over a career spanning more than four decades Justice Miles served the ACT, and indeed the Australian judicial system, with honour and distinction. His Honour’s appointment as the ACT Chief Justice in 1985 followed judicial postings in New South Wales and New Guinea. During this tenure he played an integral role in ensuring that judicial independence was upheld under constitutional arrangements for the ACT.
Few beyond judicial circles may be aware of Mr Miles’s commitment to assisting conscientious objectors, following the introduction of conscription in 1965. His first case was successful, and he continued defending both conscientious objectors and anti-conscription demonstrators, testament to his resolve and commitment to honouring and upholding his sense of moral obligation.
Having dealt with many important cases throughout his career—including, as has been stated, leading the inquiry into the fitness of David Eastman to be tried—His Honour continued to contribute his legal expertise beyond his retirement in 2002. As has been noted, after stepping down as Chief Justice, His Honour was appointed as an acting judge in the supreme courts of both New South Wales and the ACT, positions he held until 2005, when he agreed to sit on the Law Council of Australia’s human rights observer panel.
His Honour was rewarded and made an Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia in 1994 for his service to law and the community. He received a Centenary Medal in 2003, and in 2016 was added to the ACT Honour Walk in Civic.
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