Ian Barker
Encyclopedia
Ian McClelland Barker is an Australian
barrister
and Queen's Counsel
. He was the first Solicitor-General of the Northern Territory and is a former president of the NSW Bar Association
.
(1948-1952) and the NSW Solicitors Admission Board
.
from 1961 to 1970 and in Darwin
from 1970 to 1974. In 1974, Barker became one of the first Queen's Counsel
appointed in the Northern Territory and practiced at the Independent Bar at Darwin until his appointment as Solicitor General of the Northern Territory in 1978, the first such appointment after self government was granted to the territory. He returned to private practice at the Sydney Bar in 1980. Barker became known nationally in 1982 when he led the prosecution in the Azaria Chamberlain trial
and Lindy Chamberlain
was tried and convicted of her murder and Michael Chamberlain
was convicted as an accessory
after the fact.
. It is a part-time panel of Australian lawyers who serve as trial observers and undertake reviews in relation to human rights. He is regularly called upon by the national media as a commentator on matters relating to human rights
and civil liberties
.
of Barker, by the artist Neville Dawson, is held by the National Library of Australia
.
Australian nationality law
Australian nationality law determines who is and who is not an Australian, and is based primarily on the principle of Jus soli. The status of Australian citizenship was created by the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948 which received Royal Assent on 21 December 1948 and came into force on...
barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and 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...
. He was the first Solicitor-General of the Northern Territory and is a former president of the NSW Bar Association
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
.
Early life
Barker was educated at Newington CollegeNewington College
Newington College is an independent, Uniting Church, day and boarding school for boys, located in Stanmore, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
(1948-1952) and the NSW Solicitors Admission Board
Legal Profession Admission Board (NSW)
The Legal Profession Admission Board is the statutory authority responsible for the admission of lawyers in New South Wales. It was formerly two separate boards; the Barristers Admission Board and the Solicitors Admission Board...
.
Northern Territory
Barker practiced as a Barrister and Solicitor in Alice Springs, Northern TerritoryAlice Springs, Northern Territory
Alice Springs is the second largest town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Popularly known as "the Alice" or simply "Alice", Alice Springs is situated in the geographic centre of Australia near the southern border of the Northern Territory...
from 1961 to 1970 and in Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
from 1970 to 1974. In 1974, Barker became one of the first 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...
appointed in the Northern Territory and practiced at the Independent Bar at Darwin until his appointment as Solicitor General of the Northern Territory in 1978, the first such appointment after self government was granted to the territory. He returned to private practice at the Sydney Bar in 1980. Barker became known nationally in 1982 when he led the prosecution in the Azaria Chamberlain trial
Azaria Chamberlain disappearance
Azaria Chantel Loren Chamberlain was a nine-week-old Australian baby girl, who disappeared on the night of 17 August 1980 on a camping trip to Uluru with her family. Her body was never found. Her parents, Lindy and Michael Chamberlain, reported that she had been taken from their tent by a dingo...
and Lindy Chamberlain
Lindy Chamberlain
Alice Lynne Chamberlain-Creighton was at the centre of one of Australia's most publicised murder trials, in which she was convicted of killing her baby daughter, Azaria. The conviction was later overturned.-Early life:...
was tried and convicted of her murder and Michael Chamberlain
Michael Chamberlain
Michael Leigh Chamberlain is an Australian writer, retired teacher and former pastor, best known due to the 1980 disappearance of his daughter Azaria whilst camping near Uluru/Ayers Rock in the Northern Territory. When Chamberlain's then-wife Lindy was found guilty of the baby's murder in 1982, he...
was convicted as an accessory
Accessory (legal term)
An accessory is a person who assists in the commission of a crime, but who does not actually participate in the commission of the crime as a joint principal...
after the fact.
Human rights
Barker is a member of the International Human Rights Observer Panel which was established in 2005 by the Law Council of AustraliaLaw Council of Australia
The Law Council of Australia is an association of law societies and bar associations from the States and territories of Australia, and the peak body representing the legal profession in Australia. The Council was formed in 1933 to unite the various state legal associations, in order to represent...
. It is a part-time panel of Australian lawyers who serve as trial observers and undertake reviews in relation to human rights. He is regularly called upon by the national media as a commentator on matters relating to human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
and civil liberties
Civil liberties
Civil liberties are rights and freedoms that provide an individual specific rights such as the freedom from slavery and forced labour, freedom from torture and death, the right to liberty and security, right to a fair trial, the right to defend one's self, the right to own and bear arms, the right...
.
Clients
Barker has represented the following clients in high profile court matters:- John MarsdenJohn Marsden (lawyer)John Marsden , was a prominent Sydney-based Australian solicitor and former President of the Law Society of New South Wales...
- Patrick Power
- Marcus EinfeldMarcus EinfeldMarcus Richard Einfeld is a retired Australian justice of the Federal Court of Australia and the Supreme Courts of New South Wales, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory; a former President of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission; a UNICEF Ambassador for Children; a...
Portrait
A portraitPortrait
thumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
of Barker, by the artist Neville Dawson, is held by the National Library of Australia
National Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
.