“I have been very, very concerned about the quality of some of the appointments to the judiciary in recent years. I believe that we have a system which could be accused of being corrupt. If there is no transparency in appointments, and if it could be said that the main reason somebody was appointed was that they were a friend of the Attorney-General, a friend of the Prime Minister or a friend of somebody else—and let me be clear: it is said in private rooms and behind closed doors—then it brings the legal system into disrepute. England has moved to an independent appointment system, and I believe it is a much more transparent and much more sensible approach for people to be appointed on merit, after full inquiry as to their suitability and with acceptance of diversity—that we need different faces and genders and so on on the court, of course—but with an independent mechanism”
Professor Patrick Parkinson 13 Dec 2018
| Said by | Professor Patrick Parkinson | |
| 13 Dec 2018 | Source | Senate Hearing Federal Courts Merge Day 4 |