2008

Justice Murray Kellam

Murray Kellam was educated at Carey matriculating, as final year was then called, in 1964. He graduated with a Bachelor of Jurisprudence and Bachelor of Laws from Monash University in 1972 and with a Master of Laws from Melbourne University in 1976. He was a partner in a Melbourne law firm from 1975 to 1977 and signed the Victorian Bar Roll in 1977.

In 1991 Murray was appointed Queen’s Counsel. In November 1993 he was made a judge of the County Court, the Supreme Court in January 1998, the inaugural President of VCAT in June 1998, and a judge of the Court of Appeal, the highest court in the State, in 2007.

Murray has also given generously of his time and skills to:

• serve for almost ten years as a member of the Bar Council and its sub-committees;
• serve the Medico-Legal Society of Victoria for seven years as Legal Secretary, Vice-President and President;
• be a member of, then Chair, the Adult Parole Board of Victoria;
• help train Judges and Magistrates in Fiji (1996);
• conduct an administrative review of the procedures of the Jesuit Refugee Service in Thailand (2003);
• deliver mediation training to the judiciary in Papua-New Guinea (2000, 2001) and to the Papua-New Guinea Law Society (2005);
• lead the Australian Bar Association Advocacy Training Team to Bangladesh (2001-2006) who, at their own time and cost, help train Bangladeshi judges and lawyers in professional conduct, ethics and advocacy;
• provide ethics and skills training to young lawyers in Cambodia and Nepal (2005-2007);
• be a member, Deputy President then President of the Australian Institute of Judicial Administration whose members work in the areas of professional education and research relating to the administration of justice and policy; 
• be the inaugural Chairperson of the Australasian Council of Tribunals (2002-2003) which was established with the support of the Australian Government to improve standards and efficiency of Australian and New Zealand Tribunals;
• Chair NADRAC - the National Alternative Dispute Resolution Advisory Council - (2004-2008) established by the Australian Government to provide independent expert advice to the Attorney-General on the development of high quality, economic and efficient ways of resolving disputes without the need for a judicial decision;
• run a barbecue for ‘street people’ in Footscray;
• be engaged in supporting Karen refugees in establishing new lives in Melbourne.
  

In 2005 His Honour was awarded the Order of Australia ‘For service to the law through a range of judicial and legal training roles in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region, and to the community, particularly through support for the activities of the Jesuit Refugee Service in Thailand and for disadvantaged people in Melbourne’.

Two quotes from Murray Kellam provide us with an insight into his passion and commitment to make the world a better place: ‘In the end, there’s no substitute for doing the work’ and, ‘whatever you achieve in your life, it will be truly fulfilling only if your career has made things better for others’.

Michael Butler,
Chair, Carey Medal Committee