present and I thank you all for being here. As has been noted I was educated by the Marist Brothers at Penshurst and Kogarah. While the Brothers have had real difficulties over recent years, I was provided by them with an education that was well rounded and focused on social justice and equity. Those values instilled into me all those years ago are of course the values required of any judicial officer and I hope to bring them with me to my work each day as a judge of this Court. In 1983 as a recent graduate I was employed by Robbert Fox in his two solicitor firm in Jannali. I remained there for four and a half years until I took the plunge into sole practice. I learned a great deal from Robbert and I am grateful for his mentoring and guidance in those early years. After a short time on my own my practice merged with and we remained in partnership Robbert’s under various guises until I joined the Local Court. I am pleased that Robbert and his son Hayden are here today. The Local Court has been my professional home for the last 11 years. To be leaving has caused me real sadness. Where do I begin to tell you what a marvellous institution it is? It is inhabited by hard working, decent, clever and collegiate men and women who daily deliver more justice to the people of New South Wales than any other Court. They do so in often difficult and strained circumstances. The magistrates of the Local Court are the heroes of the criminal justice system and I am enormously privileged to have been a member of most efficient and most productive Court. Australia’s busiest, I hope that once appointed my successor as Deputy Chief Magistrate will likewise treasure this enormous privilege. I wish him or her the very best of luck traversing the responsibilities of the role and solidifying relationships with the hard working people of the Local Court. I will miss each and every
present and I thank you all for being here. As has been noted I was educated by the Marist Brothers at Penshurst and Kogarah. While the Brothers have had real difficulties over recent years, I was provided by them with an education that was well rounded and focused on social justice and equity. Those values instilled into me all those years ago are of course the values required of any judicial officer and I hope to bring them with me to my work each day as a judge of this Court. In 1983 as a recent graduate I was employed by Robbert Fox in his two solicitor firm in Jannali. I remained there for four and a half years until I took the plunge into sole practice. I learned a great deal from Robbert and I am grateful for his mentoring and guidance in those early years. After a short time on my own my practice merged with Robbert’s and we remained in partnership under various guises until I joined the Local Court. I am pleased that Robbert and his son Hayden are here today. The Local Court has been my professional home for the last 11 years. To be leaving has caused me real sadness. Where do I begin to tell you what a marvellous institution it is? It is inhabited by hard working, decent, clever and collegiate men and women who daily deliver more justice to the people of New South Wales than any other Court. They do so in often difficult and strained circumstances. The magistrates of the Local Court are the heroes of the criminal justice system and I am enormously privileged to have been a member of Australia’s busiest, most efficient and most productive Court. I hope that once appointed my successor as Deputy Chief Magistrate will likewise treasure this enormous privilege. I wish him or her the very best of luck traversing the responsibilities of the role and solidifying relationships with the hard working people of the Local Court. I will miss each and every