Page 1460 - Week 06 - Thursday, 2 July 2020
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I rise again this morning to move a motion of condolence on the passing of Acting Justice Linda Ashford of the ACT Supreme Court, who died in Sydney on the evening of Friday, 19 June. Her Honour served the Canberra community for six years, after allowing herself just one actual year of retirement after a long and distinguished legal and judicial career in New South Wales. Her very sudden passing came when she was on her way home after a busy day at court proceedings here in Canberra.
Acting Justice Ashford was both widely known across judicial communities and respected deeply as a compassionate judge who took a deep and genuine interest in anyone she encountered. She was admitted as a solicitor to the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 1984 and to the High Court of Australia. In 2014 she was appointed to the ACT Supreme Court, where she presided over both civil and criminal matters.
Prior to her work in the ACT Supreme Court, Acting Justice Ashford was a judge of the New South Wales District Court. She also held several other judicial appointments, including judge in the Compensation Court of New South Wales, acting judge in the Dust Diseases Tribunal, and commissioner in the Compensation Court of New South Wales.
As an active member of the legal community, Acting Justice Ashford held a position as a member of the Professional Development (Education) Committee of the District Court; she was a member of the University of Technology Sydney faculty board; and she was a trustee of the UTS alumni foundation.
On behalf of the Legislative Assembly, I extend my most sincere condolences to Acting Justice Ashford’s family, friends, and colleagues.
MR COE (Yerrabi—Leader of the Opposition) (10.21): Madam Speaker, the opposition joins members of the Assembly in paying tribute to Acting Justice Linda Ashford. Acting Justice Linda Ashford attended Fort Street Girls’ High School in Millers Point, New South Wales. Upon finishing her schooling, she trained as a nurse at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, before moving to study midwifery at Hornsby Hospital.
To celebrate the completion of her course in 1964, she decided it was time for an adventure. She packed her bags and set off to London, where she would meet up with friends and they would travel around Europe together. While in London, she worked as a nurse at St Thomas’ hospital. It was not until the late 1960s that she returned to Australia.
On her return, she resumed working at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, but it was not long before she decided that a career change was in order and started studying to be a solicitor. She was admitted to practise as a solicitor in December 1984. Six months later, she became an associate at Taylor & Scott solicitors of Sydney. Just a couple of months later, in August, she opened the firm’s Newcastle office.
In 1987 she was appointed a commissioner at the Workers Compensation Commission. She went on to be a judge of the Compensation Court and was
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