Athol Moffitt
Encyclopedia
Athol Randolph Moffitt was an eminent Australian jurist and was the author of several books. He is best known as the chair of the landmark 1973-74 Moffitt Royal Commission
, which investigated organised crime in New South Wales
.
and then studied law at the University of Sydney
, where he graduated with first-class honours. He was admitted to the NSW bar in 1938.
At the outset of World War II
Moffitt joined the AIF
as a private in the artillery, reaching the rank of captain. He was involved with the war crimes trials
held at Labuan of the Japanese officers and soldiers who had taken part in the murders and brutality at the POW camp at Sandakan and the Sandakan death marches
. As a result of these trials, eight Japanese, including Captain Hoshijima Susumi, the Sandakan camp commandant, were hanged, and 55 more were imprisoned. Moffitt published Project Kingfisher, a book about the Sandakan atrocities and a stalled rescue plan, in 1989.
Moffitt was appointed a Queen's Counsel
in 1956, and became a member of the bar council. In 1959 he acted as a NSW Supreme Court judge for six months. He was again appointed acting judge in 1962, relieving the ailing Justice Bill Dovey
and became a permanent judge in November that year. In 1969 Moffitt went to the NSW Court of Appeal.
In 1973 he was appointed to head a royal commission investigating allegations of organised crime in licensed clubs in NSW. The royal commission uncovered apparent links between the American Mafia
and local organised crime figures such as Sydney's "Mr Big", Lenny McPherson
and the involvement of organised crime groups in the growing trade in illegal drugs especially heroin. It also investigated the activities (and alleged Mafia links) of the Bally poker machine company, the major supplier of gaming equipment to licenced clubs.
In 1974 Moffitt became president of the NSW Appeals Court. He was awarded the Order of St Michael and St George
in the 1979 Queen's Birthday Honours and, later, the medal of the Order of Australia
(OAM).
Moffitt retired from the Supreme Court in June 1984, on reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70. The following year, he published a book on organised crime, A Quarter to Midnight, which claimed that organsied crime in Australia was far more extensive than governments were prepared to admit, that the National Crime Authority was a "lame duck" and that the close ties between the trade union movement and ALP governments was hindering the investigation of criminal activity in unions.
In 1998 he wrote a book on the drug problem, Drug Precipice, and followed by another book on the same subject, Drug Alert, a simpler exposition of the problem.
In 1999 he publicly criticised the opening of a legal heroin injection room in Kings Cross
, Sydney and in 2000 he publicly commented that the prosecution of alleged World War II war criminal Konrad Kalejs was unrealistic.
In his last public address, in 2006, to the professional club, Probus
, Moffitt revealed that the late crime boss Lenny McPherson
had been a paid informant to his 1973-74 royal commission.
Moffitt Royal Commission
The Moffitt Royal Commission was one of the first Australian royal commissions to specifically investigate the extent and activities of organised crime in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Its common title was taken from the name of its chairperson, NSW Supreme Court judge Athol Moffitt...
, which investigated organised crime in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
Biography
Moffit was the son of NSW workers' compensation judge Herbert William Moffitt, and his older sister Gwen was also a practising solicitor. He was educated at North Sydney Boys High SchoolNorth Sydney Boys High School
North Sydney Boys High School is an academically selective, public high school for boys, located at Crows Nest in Sydney, Australia.- History :...
and then studied law at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, where he graduated with first-class honours. He was admitted to the NSW bar in 1938.
At the outset of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Moffitt joined the AIF
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
as a private in the artillery, reaching the rank of captain. He was involved with the war crimes trials
War crimes trials
War crimes trials are trials of persons charged with criminal violation of the laws and customs of war and related principles of international law. The practice began after World War I, when some German leaders were tried by a German court in the Leipzig War Crimes Trial for crimes committed during...
held at Labuan of the Japanese officers and soldiers who had taken part in the murders and brutality at the POW camp at Sandakan and the Sandakan death marches
Sandakan Death Marches
The Sandakan Death Marches were a series of forced marches in Borneo from Sandakan to Ranau which resulted in the deaths of more than 3,600 Indonesian civilian slave labourers and 2,400 Allied prisoners of war held captive by the Empire of Japan during the Pacific campaign of World War II at prison...
. As a result of these trials, eight Japanese, including Captain Hoshijima Susumi, the Sandakan camp commandant, were hanged, and 55 more were imprisoned. Moffitt published Project Kingfisher, a book about the Sandakan atrocities and a stalled rescue plan, in 1989.
Moffitt was appointed a Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1956, and became a member of the bar council. In 1959 he acted as a NSW Supreme Court judge for six months. He was again appointed acting judge in 1962, relieving the ailing Justice Bill Dovey
Bill Dovey
Wilfred Robert 'Bill' Dovey KC was a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in Australia from 1953 to 1964. He was described as colourful, slightly eccentric and irascible, although he had a brilliant legal mind and a Shakespearean vocabulary...
and became a permanent judge in November that year. In 1969 Moffitt went to the NSW Court of Appeal.
In 1973 he was appointed to head a royal commission investigating allegations of organised crime in licensed clubs in NSW. The royal commission uncovered apparent links between the American Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
and local organised crime figures such as Sydney's "Mr Big", Lenny McPherson
Lenny McPherson
Leonard Arthur McPherson was one of the most notorious and powerful Australian career criminals of the late 20th century...
and the involvement of organised crime groups in the growing trade in illegal drugs especially heroin. It also investigated the activities (and alleged Mafia links) of the Bally poker machine company, the major supplier of gaming equipment to licenced clubs.
In 1974 Moffitt became president of the NSW Appeals Court. He was awarded the Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
in the 1979 Queen's Birthday Honours and, later, the medal of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(OAM).
Moffitt retired from the Supreme Court in June 1984, on reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70. The following year, he published a book on organised crime, A Quarter to Midnight, which claimed that organsied crime in Australia was far more extensive than governments were prepared to admit, that the National Crime Authority was a "lame duck" and that the close ties between the trade union movement and ALP governments was hindering the investigation of criminal activity in unions.
In 1998 he wrote a book on the drug problem, Drug Precipice, and followed by another book on the same subject, Drug Alert, a simpler exposition of the problem.
In 1999 he publicly criticised the opening of a legal heroin injection room in Kings Cross
Kings Cross, New South Wales
Kings Cross is an inner-city locality of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located approximately 2 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Sydney...
, Sydney and in 2000 he publicly commented that the prosecution of alleged World War II war criminal Konrad Kalejs was unrealistic.
In his last public address, in 2006, to the professional club, Probus
Probus Clubs
The Probus Club movement was formed in the United Kingdom in 1965. Often sponsored by Rotary International, Probus Clubs cater for the interests of retired or semi-retired professional or business people. Each club is autonomous...
, Moffitt revealed that the late crime boss Lenny McPherson
Lenny McPherson
Leonard Arthur McPherson was one of the most notorious and powerful Australian career criminals of the late 20th century...
had been a paid informant to his 1973-74 royal commission.
Publications
- Project Kingfisher: The Terrible Story of the Massacres of the Sandakan POWs in Borneo - and the Secret Plan for a Rescue That Never Happened 1989