Federal judicial appointments raised in House of Representatives question time

20/02/2008

During yesterday's question time in the House of Representatives, Attorney General Robert McClelland responded to a Dorothy Dixer about changes to the federal judicial appointments process.�

Mr McClelland said: "it is an important step to assure Australians that those people who will deliberate in respect of their rights or, if it be in force, obligations against them are chosen not by a narrow select few but by an appropriately qualified panel. It is important that Australians have confidence that all judicial appointments are entirely on the basis of merit, not on personal associations or political affiliations. This is an important step in further developing the Rudd Labor government’s commitment to open government."

View the attorney general's�response>

20 February 2008