James Gobbo
Encyclopedia
Sir James Augustine Gobbo, AC
, CVO
, KStJ
, QC
(born 22 March 1931, Melbourne
, Victoria
) was an Australia
n jurist and was the 25th Governor of Victoria
.
briefly before returning to live permanently in Australia
in 1938.
Gobbo attended Xavier College before studying law at the University of Melbourne
during which time he lived at Newman College
. In 1951 he was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship
, with which he attained a Master of Arts degree
at Magdalen College
, Oxford University.
Gobbo married former librarian Shirley Lewis in 1957, and has five children. His son James Gobbo, Jr. was the Liberal candidate for the district of Bentleigh in the 2006 Victorian legislative election.
and later as a Queen's Counsel
, Gobbo was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria
, which is the highest ranking court
in the Australian State
of Victoria. He served from 18 July 1978 until he retired from the bench on 28 February 1994.
in 1997 by the government of Premier Jeff Kennett
. He was the first Australian state governor of Italian descent.
When given the governorship the term of office, instead of the usual five years, was to be shorter due to uncertain outcome of the looming Australian republic referendum
in 1999. If a republic had been passed by the people of Australia then the governorship of Victoria would have been abolished. In August 2000 the new Premier Steve Bracks
announced that Gobbo's successor would be John Landy
, who would take up his post in January 2001. Gobbo immediately made it known that he had had an understanding with Kennett for an extension of his term beyond 2000, and expressed deep disappointment that this was not now to occur.
After leaving office, Gobbo took up the position of Commissioner for Italy for the Victorian Government until June 2006 and has since continued on various boards and councils.
As of 2006, he is the Chair of the Council of the National Library of Australia and the Council of the Order of Australia and Chair of the Australian Multicultural Foundation.
(AC) in 1993 and a Knight of Grace of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem
(KStJ) in 1997. He was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001 and is also a Knight of Malta (see http://www.smom.org.au/pdf/Hospitaller%20P8.pdf).
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"...
, CVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, KStJ
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
, QC
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...
(born 22 March 1931, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n jurist and was the 25th Governor of Victoria
Governors of Victoria
The Governor of Victoria is the representative in the Australian state of Victoria of its monarch, Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia. The Governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level...
.
Family
James Gobbo was born to Italian parents, who returned to ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
briefly before returning to live permanently in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1938.
Gobbo attended Xavier College before studying law at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
during which time he lived at Newman College
Newman College (University of Melbourne)
Newman College is a Roman Catholic, co-educational residential college affiliated with the University of Melbourne. During the university year it houses about 235 undergraduate students and about 55 postgraduate students and tutors...
. In 1951 he was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
, with which he attained a Master of Arts degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
at Magdalen College
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
, Oxford University.
Gobbo married former librarian Shirley Lewis in 1957, and has five children. His son James Gobbo, Jr. was the Liberal candidate for the district of Bentleigh in the 2006 Victorian legislative election.
Judicial career
After many years as a barristerBarrister
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 later as 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...
, Gobbo was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria
Supreme Court of Victoria
The Supreme Court of Victoria is the superior court for the State of Victoria, Australia. It was founded in 1852, and is a superior court of common law and equity, with unlimited jurisdiction within the state...
, which is the highest ranking court
Australian court hierarchy
There are two streams within the hierarchy of Australian courts, the federal stream and the state and territory stream. While the federal courts and the court systems in each state and territory are separate, the High Court of Australia remains the ultimate court of appeal for the Australian...
in the Australian State
States and territories of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...
of Victoria. He served from 18 July 1978 until he retired from the bench on 28 February 1994.
Political career
Gobbo served as Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria from 1995 until he was appointed Governor of VictoriaGovernors of Victoria
The Governor of Victoria is the representative in the Australian state of Victoria of its monarch, Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia. The Governor performs the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level...
in 1997 by the government of Premier Jeff Kennett
Jeff Kennett
Jeffrey Gibb Kennett AC , a former Australian politician, was the Premier of Victoria between 1992 and 1999. He is currently the President of Hawthorn Football Club. He is the founding Chairman of beyondblue, a national depression initiative.- Early life :Kennett was born in Melbourne on 2 March...
. He was the first Australian state governor of Italian descent.
When given the governorship the term of office, instead of the usual five years, was to be shorter due to uncertain outcome of the looming Australian republic referendum
Australian republic referendum, 1999
The Australian republic referendum held on 6 November 1999 was a two-question referendum to amend the Constitution of Australia. The first question asked whether Australia should become a republic with a President appointed by Parliament following a bi-partisan appointment model which had...
in 1999. If a republic had been passed by the people of Australia then the governorship of Victoria would have been abolished. In August 2000 the new Premier Steve Bracks
Steve Bracks
Stephen Philip Bracks AC is a former Australian politician and the 44th Premier of Victoria. He first won the electoral district of Williamstown in 1994 for the Australian Labor Party, and was party leader and Premier from 1999 to 2007....
announced that Gobbo's successor would be John Landy
John Landy
John Michael Landy, AC, CVO, MBE is an Australian former Olympic track athlete. He was the second man to break the four-minute mile barrier in the mile run, and he held the world records for the 1500 metre run and the mile race...
, who would take up his post in January 2001. Gobbo immediately made it known that he had had an understanding with Kennett for an extension of his term beyond 2000, and expressed deep disappointment that this was not now to occur.
After leaving office, Gobbo took up the position of Commissioner for Italy for the Victorian Government until June 2006 and has since continued on various boards and councils.
As of 2006, he is the Chair of the Council of the National Library of Australia and the Council of the Order of Australia and Chair of the Australian Multicultural Foundation.
Honours
Gobbo was made Knight Bachelor in 1981 and became a Companion of the Order of AustraliaOrder 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"...
(AC) in 1993 and a Knight of Grace of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
(KStJ) in 1997. He was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001 and is also a Knight of Malta (see http://www.smom.org.au/pdf/Hospitaller%20P8.pdf).
See also
- Judiciary of AustraliaJudiciary of AustraliaThe judiciary in Australia is modelled substantially on the system of courts which existed in England.The large number of courts and tribunals in Australia have different procedural powers and characteristics, different jurisdictional limits, different remedial powers and different cost...
- List of Judges of the Supreme Court of Victoria
- Victorian Bar AssociationVictorian BarThe Victorian Bar is the bar association for the Australian State of Victoria. Its members are barristers registered to practice in Victoria. On 19 January 2006, there were 1627 counsel practising as members of the Victorian Bar. Once a barrister has been admitted to practice by the Supreme Court...