Parliamentary Updates

Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker. It is my privilege today to add my voice and the voices of Warringah to this condolence motion for the life of the Honourable Justice Mary Gaudron KC, a legal titan and trailblazer who shattered the glass ceiling, not only for women in law, but all those who have been told not to do a man's job. Mary Gaudron did not simply practice the law, she reshaped it and who could work inside of it. From her upbringing in Moree, her path to the High Court was not the same well-worn one that many had taken before, but one marked by perseverance in the face of rejection and discrimination.

Many of my parliamentary colleagues have risen to recount Justice Gaudron's achievements, but their scale and importance make them worth repeating. Earning a scholarship to the University of Sydney, Justice Gaudron studied her law degree part time in order to support herself and her family. Her drive to succeed was unmatched: she sat her fourth year exams while nine months pregnant before going on to top her class in the final exams. She was the first part time female student to win the University Medal; where reportedly the vice chancellor had proposed giving the medal to the male student who had come second because Justin Gordon would not be able to put the medal to good use as a wife and mother. Of course, Justice Gordon did put it to good use. In fact, she made excellent use of that medal: after being initially told by multiple firms that they wouldn't hire a female Clerk, she joined the public service. She worked there until she got married, leading to her being forced then to resign from the public service due to the marriage bar forbidding married women from working in the public service.

Despite this, Justice Gordon met every closed door and discriminatory action and rule with distinction and determination. She was called to the bar in 1968 and became the first woman appointed to the New South Wales Bar Council in 1972. She was the first woman to take silk in New South Wales, and when chambers refused to rent her a room due to her gender, it did not stop her from rising to be the youngest Federal Court judge of her time. And of course, in 1987 she was appointed as the first female justice of the High Court of Australia. It's hard, I think, today in 2026 for many young women to contemplate the discrimination that Justice Mary Gaudron faced simply because of her gender. I think too often we take for granted the changes that have occurred, the equality and the opportunities that are open to us. It is because of the fight and the determination of so many incredible women that went before us. And it's why it's so incredibly important that we remain vigilant.

We know the rights of women are being wound back in many places around the world. And so to be true to the legacy of giants like Justice Mary Gaudron, we absolutely must raise our voices and make sure those gains are not wound back. I think personally, as a female barrister, I walked in the footsteps of Justice Gorton when I was studying my law degree: I did so taking my newborn son into law lectures and I wasn't barred from the opportunity to learn or to be qualified. I wasn't barred from that opportunity. And I think it is in particular because of people like Justice Mary Gaudron, who have shown the world that a woman can be a mother and have a successful law career.

She knew the importance of whether she succeeded or failed, stating that she would give no-one a chance to say 'we tried a woman once and it did not work'. And I think that's a burden and a responsibility many of us carry because it's too easy to then have gains wound back and prejudice rise. We have to be vigilant and we are seeing that today. In the modern world with the manosphere and so many areas where we are trying to win back women's rights. So as we gather here, it's good to take note of some of the progress. Today, three of the seven High Court justices are women, and it is certain to say that appointing a woman 'worked'.

So I would like to share my condolences with Justice Gordon's loved ones and those who knew her. Australia is still grappling with gender equality, but the path Justice Gordon cleared has shown us that women can not only match their male colleagues but be better in many instances. And that is good because on a rising tide all ships lift. When we all are pushed to give it our best, to do our best to be smarter, braver and more caring, we will all benefit. So on behalf of Warringah, I would like to thank the Honourable Justice Gaudron for making this world a better and fairer place. Thank you.

Vale Mary Gaudron