Edward Woodward (judge)

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

Woodward was born in Ballarat in to Eric Woodward (later as Lieutenant General Sir Eric Woodward, a Governor of New South Wales) and Amy Freame Weller. After completing both his primary and secondary education at Melbourne Grammar School, 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 in 1965.

During his career, he sat on several boards and 17 Royal Commissions, 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 1977–90.

As Director-General of Security between 1976 and 1981, he headed the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.

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 of his alma mater, the University of Melbourne, a post he held until 2001.

He died aged 81 years.^[1]

Honours[]

He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1969, for service as Royal Commissioner into the Stevedoring Industry.^[2] He was made a Knight Bachelor in 1982 and Companion of the Order of Australia 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.^[3][4]

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

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