Sir Albert Edward Woodward (6 August 1928 – 15 April 2010) was an Australian jurist.

Life and career

Woodward was born in

Ballarat Ballarat ( ) () is a city in the Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 census, Ballarat had a population of 111,973, making it the third-largest urban inland city in Australia and the third-largest city in Victoria. Within mo ...

in to Eric Woodward (later as Lieutenant General Sir Eric Woodward, a

Governor of New South Wales The governor of New South Wales is the representative of the monarch, King Charles III, in the state of New South Wales. In an analogous way to the governor-general of Australia, Governor-General of Australia at the national level, the governor ...

) and Amy Freame (Weller), Lady Woodward. After completing both his primary and secondary education at

Melbourne Grammar School Melbourne Grammar School is an Australian private school, private Anglican Church of Australia, Anglican Day school, day and boarding school. It comprises a co-educational preparatory school from Prep to Year 6 and a middle school and senior s ...

, Woodward continued his studies at the University of Melbourne, where he graduated with a Master of Laws. He was admitted to the bar in 1951 and was appointed a

Queen's Counsel A King's Counsel (Post-nominal letters, post-nominal initials KC) is a senior lawyer appointed by the monarch (or their Viceroy, viceregal representative) of some Commonwealth realms as a "Counsel learned in the law". When the reigning monarc ...

in 1965. During his career, he sat on several boards and 17

Royal Commission A royal commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue in some monarchies. They have been held in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Malaysia, Mauritius and Saudi Arabia. In republics an equi ...

s, on four of which he was the Chairman. The most famous of these was the Aboriginal Land Rights Commission in 1973–74. He was President of the Trade Practices Tribunal, 1974–76 and a Justice of the

Federal Court of Australia The Federal Court of Australia is an Australian superior court which has jurisdiction to deal with most civil disputes governed by federal law (with the exception of family law matters), along with some summary (less serious) and indictable (mo ...

, 1977–90. As Director-General of Security between 1976 and 1981, he headed the

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO ) is the Intelligence agency, domestic intelligence and national security agency of the Australian Government, responsible for protection from espionage, sabotage, acts of foreign inte ...

. He was a member of Camberwell Grammar School Council between 1972 and 1987 and Chairman in 1987. He was made a Life Governor of the school in 2002. In 1990 he succeeded Sir Roy Douglas Wright as

Chancellor Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...

of his alma mater, the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne (colloquially known as Melbourne University) is a public university, public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in the state ...

, a post he held until 2001. He died in 2010, on 15 April 2010, aged 81.

Honours

Woodward was made an Officer of the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

in 1969, for service as Royal Commissioner into the Stevedoring Industry. He was made a

Knight Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised Order of chivalry, orders of chivalry; it is a part of the Orders, decorations, and medals ...

in 1982 and Companion of the

Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...

in 2001. He declined the governorship of Victoria on the grounds that he did not think it was appropriate for an atheist to hold the position.

Publications

* *

References

External links

Obituary: Judge sought social justice for all
The Sydney Morning Herald, 29 April 2010.
Three Wigs and Five Hats
by A. E. Woodward 1928 births 2010 deaths Judges of the Federal Court of Australia Australian royal commissioners Directors-general of security Chancellors of the University of Melbourne Australian King's Counsel Companions of the Order of Australia Australian Knights Bachelor Australian Officers of the Order of the British Empire People from Ballarat Melbourne Law School alumni Australian atheists Judges of the Commonwealth Industrial Court {{Australia-law-bio-stub