The Hon Sir William Deane
22nd Governor-General of Australia
In office 16 February 1996 – 29 June 2001
Preceded by	Bill Hayden
Succeeded by	Peter Hollingworth
Nominated by	Paul Keating
Puisne Justice of the High Court of Australia
In office 25 June 1982 – 11 November 1995
Nominated by	Malcolm Fraser
Preceded by	Ninian Stephen
Succeeded by	Michael Kirby
Born	January 04 1931 (1931--) (age 76) Melbourne, Victoria
Profession	Judge
Religion	Roman Catholic

Sir William Patrick Deane, AC, KBE (born 4 January 1931), Australian judge and 22nd Governor-General of Australia, was born in Melbourne, Victoria. He was educated at Catholic schools including St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill and at the University of Sydney, where he graduated in arts and law. In addition, he also attended the Hague Academy of International Law. After graduation he worked in the federal Attorney-General's Department in Canberra, and travelled in Europe studying international law. He was called to the Sydney Bar in 1957, and also lectured in law at the University.

During this time Deane was active in the Catholic community and was interested in politics. In 1955 he was briefly a member of the Democratic Labor Party, a predominantly Catholic and anti-Communist breakaway from the Australian Labor Party. He soon became disillusioned with the party and played no further part in active politics, but he was strongly influenced by progressive Catholic doctrines of social justice and opposition to racial discrimination.

In 1977 Deane was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, and in the same year he was appointed to the Federal Court of Australia and as President of the Australian Trade Practices Tribunal. In July 1982 he was appointed to the High Court of Australia, replacing Sir Ninian Stephen on his appointment as Governor-General. On the court he formed part of the majority that recognised native title in the landmark Mabo case of 1992.

In August 1995, Labor Prime Minister Paul Keating announced that the Queen had agreed to the appointment of Deane as Governor-General to succeed Bill Hayden. He retired from the High Court in November, and was sworn in as Governor-General on 16 February 1996 ^[1]. Less than a month later, Keating's government was defeated by the Liberal Party led by John Howard. Deane and Howard found themselves in the most uncomfortable relationship between a Prime Minister and a Governor-General since Robert Menzies and Sir William McKell in 1949.

During his six-year term of office Deane became increasingly outspoken on social issues. While he never directly criticised the government, the tenor of his comments was clear to most observers. Conversely, Howard and his ministers were careful not to criticise Deane, but conservative press commentators and activists were less restrained. After Deane's term ended in 2001, Deane became openly critical of the Howard Government.

In 2001, Sir William Deane was awarded the Sydney Peace Prize "for his consistent support of vulnerable and disadvantaged Australians and his strong commitment to the cause of reconciliation."

References

External links

• A Mirror to the People 58 min Documentary film on the Office of Governor-General of Australia 1999. Dir: Daryl Dellora. Features Sir William Deane, Sir Zelman Cowen, Sir Ninian Stephen. Special Commendation ATOM Awards.

Justices of the High Court of Australia
Chief Justices of Australia
Griffith · Knox · Isaacs · Gavan Duffy · Latham · Dixon · Barwick · Gibbs · Mason · Brennan · Gleeson
Puisne Justices
Barton · O'Connor · Higgins · Powers · Piddington · Rich · Starke · Evatt · McTiernan · Williams · Webb · Fullagar · Kitto · Taylor · Menzies · Windeyer · Owen · Walsh · Stephen · Jacobs · Murphy · Aickin · Wilson · Deane · Dawson · Toohey · Gaudron · McHugh · Gummow · Kirby · Hayne · Callinan · Heydon · Crennan · Kiefel
current Justices are in italics

Donate to Wikimedia