Hon Robert McClelland
Deputy Chief Judge; Former Attorney General
Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia; Australian Government
The Honourable Deputy Chief Justice Robert McClelland AO was appointed as a judge of the Family Court of Australia, as it then was, in June 2015 and appointed Deputy Chief Justice in December 2018.
His Honour holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws from the University of New South Wales and a Master of Laws from the University of Sydney. He is a Visiting Fellow at the University of New South Wales. He was admitted to the Supreme Court of New South Wales as a solicitor in 1982 and has practised as both a solicitor and barrister. His Honour was elected to Federal Parliament in 1996 as the Member for Barton and served as Commonwealth Attorney-General between 2007 and 2011.
His Honour was served as Chair of the Family Law Council from December 2021 to December 2024. He was appointed an Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to the people and Parliament of Australia, to the law, social justice and law reform in June 2022.
SESSIONS
Day 1
11:30
From policing to parole: Targeting bias in the justice system
Identify points in the justice process where bias affects First Nations people and explore practical reforms to reduce over-representation
Highlight solutions like Specialist Indigenous Lists, culturally-informed court practices, and improvements in discretionary decision-making to improve outcomes
Hon Robert McClelland, Deputy Chief Judge, Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia & Former Attorney General, Australian Government