Jeff Shaw (politician)
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey William "Jeff" Shaw, QC
(10 October 194911 May 2010) was an Australia
n lawyer
, judge and former Attorney General of New South Wales
.
public schools, and Hunters Hill High School
where he was a Sergeant in the school Cadet Corps. He graduated in Arts
and Law
at the University of Sydney
in 1973,and also spent a period studying at Templeton College, Oxford
.
He married Elizabeth Bryant on 21 December 1974 and they had two sons.
. He specialised in industrial law.
(ALP). During the 1970s Shaw was a leading intellectual figure of the NSW ALP left. He frequently contributed to the left's publication Socialist Industrial Labour and later Challenge. With others such as Joan Evatt, Wayne Haylen, Peter Crawford, Laurie Ferguson
, and Pam Allan he successfully organised the unprecedented left takeover in NSW Young Labor in 1973–74, becoming Senior Vice President. During this period he was an official of the Public service Association of NSW and later a solicitor with labor law firm Taylor & Scott.
Shaw was a candidate for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
seat of Eastwood
in the 1981 NSW election. He was defeated by the incumbent, veteran Liberal Jim Clough
.
Shaw was appointed to fill a casual vacancy in the New South Wales Legislative Council
in May 1990, representing the Labor Party. The ALP was in opposition at the time, and Shaw served as Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations and Local Government from 1991 to 1995.
Clearly disillusioned with factions, Shaw observed at the launch of the Henry Parkes Foundation on 4 June 1999 that "he (Parkes) helped pioneer the faction system that dogs state politics yet – and last year threatened the career of a brilliant Attorney General". Despite his conflicts with factional figures, however, Shaw was regarded as an "iconic figure" within the ALP.
Shaw retired from the Legislative Council
in 2000.
on 4 February 2003. As of 2011, he was the last former politician to have been appointed to, or served on, the Supreme Court of New South Wales
.
On 13 October 2004, Shaw crashed his car into a parked vehicle near his Sydney
home. He was taken to hospital, where a blood sample was taken for testing; however, the sample disappeared. Under pressure from the Opposition Liberal Party
, the Police Integrity Commission
initiated an inquiry into the circumstances of the sample's disappearance.
In November 2004, Shaw voluntarily surrendered a second blood sample (not the sample which disappeared in hospital) to the police, resigning from the Supreme Court on 12 November 2004. He was later charged with negligent driving and driving while drunk. Shaw lost his driving licence for a year and was fined A$3,000.
Shaw served as a Supreme Court justice for 647 days (1 year, 9 months and 8 days).
law firm. He returned to the University of Sydney
as a part-time lecturer on employment law. He was also an adjunct professor of law at the University of Technology, Sydney
, a visiting professor at the University of New South Wales
, Deputy Chairman at the Law Reform Commission of New South Wales
and a member of the Legal Aid Commission's Panel on Appellate Criminal Law.
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...
(10 October 194911 May 2010) 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 lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, judge and former Attorney General of 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...
.
Early life and education
Shaw was educated at Boronia Park and ChatswoodChatswood Public School
Chatswood Public School is a primary and public school that was founded in 1883, located in the suburb of Chatswood in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
public schools, and Hunters Hill High School
Hunters Hill High School
Hunter's Hill High School is a public, secondary, co-educational day school, located in Hunter's Hill, a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is situated on the Lane Cove River, near the Figtree Bridge....
where he was a Sergeant in the school Cadet Corps. He graduated in Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and Law
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
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...
in 1973,and also spent a period studying at Templeton College, Oxford
Templeton College, Oxford
Templeton College was one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford, England. It was an all-graduate college, concentrating on the recruitment of students in business and management studies....
.
He married Elizabeth Bryant on 21 December 1974 and they had two sons.
Legal career
Shaw was admitted as a solicitor of the New South Wales Supreme Court in 1975 and as a barrister of that same court the following year. On 12 November 1986, Shaw was appointed Queen's CounselQueen'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 specialised in industrial law.
Politics
Shaw was a member of the Australian Labor PartyAustralian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
(ALP). During the 1970s Shaw was a leading intellectual figure of the NSW ALP left. He frequently contributed to the left's publication Socialist Industrial Labour and later Challenge. With others such as Joan Evatt, Wayne Haylen, Peter Crawford, Laurie Ferguson
Laurie Ferguson
Laurie Donald Thomas Ferguson , Australian politician, has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1990, representing Reid until 2010 and Werriwa thereafter, both in New South Wales. He was born in Sydney, New South Wales, and grew up in the...
, and Pam Allan he successfully organised the unprecedented left takeover in NSW Young Labor in 1973–74, becoming Senior Vice President. During this period he was an official of the Public service Association of NSW and later a solicitor with labor law firm Taylor & Scott.
Shaw was a candidate for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
seat of Eastwood
Electoral district of Eastwood
Eastwood was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1927 to 1930 and from 1965 to 1999. It included Eastwood.-Members for Eastwood:...
in the 1981 NSW election. He was defeated by the incumbent, veteran Liberal Jim Clough
Jim Clough
James Arthur "Jim" Clough was an Australian politician. He was the Liberal member for Parramatta in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1956 to 1959, and for Eastwood from 1965 to 1988....
.
Shaw was appointed to fill a casual vacancy in the New South Wales Legislative Council
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
in May 1990, representing the Labor Party. The ALP was in opposition at the time, and Shaw served as Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations and Local Government from 1991 to 1995.
Minister
Upon the election of the ALP to government in March 1995, Shaw became Attorney General and Minister for Industrial Relations, positions he held until 2000. Shaw was also the Minister for Fair Trading from 1998 to 1999. As Attorney-General he led a push in 1996 to censor online information.Retirement
In 1998 Shaw failed to gain a winnable position on the ticket in left wing preselection for the Upper House. His career was eventually "saved' by the right wing Head Office group who moved him to top of the combined ticket.Clearly disillusioned with factions, Shaw observed at the launch of the Henry Parkes Foundation on 4 June 1999 that "he (Parkes) helped pioneer the faction system that dogs state politics yet – and last year threatened the career of a brilliant Attorney General". Despite his conflicts with factional figures, however, Shaw was regarded as an "iconic figure" within the ALP.
Shaw retired from the Legislative Council
Legislative Council
A Legislative Council is the name given to the legislatures, or one of the chambers of the legislature of many nations and colonies.A Member of the Legislative Council is commonly referred to as an MLC.- Unicameral legislatures :...
in 2000.
Judicial career
Shaw was sworn in as a Judge of the Supreme Court of New South WalesSupreme Court of New South Wales
The Supreme Court of New South Wales is the highest state court of the Australian State of New South Wales...
on 4 February 2003. As of 2011, he was the last former politician to have been appointed to, or served on, the Supreme Court of New South Wales
Supreme Court of New South Wales
The Supreme Court of New South Wales is the highest state court of the Australian State of New South Wales...
.
On 13 October 2004, Shaw crashed his car into a parked vehicle near his Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
home. He was taken to hospital, where a blood sample was taken for testing; however, the sample disappeared. Under pressure from the Opposition Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
, the Police Integrity Commission
Police Integrity Commission
The Police Integrity Commission was established in 1996 upon the recommendation of the Royal Commission in to the New South Wales Police Service. The commission is a corporation established by the New South Wales Government to prevent, detect and investigate alleged serious misconduct in the New...
initiated an inquiry into the circumstances of the sample's disappearance.
In November 2004, Shaw voluntarily surrendered a second blood sample (not the sample which disappeared in hospital) to the police, resigning from the Supreme Court on 12 November 2004. He was later charged with negligent driving and driving while drunk. Shaw lost his driving licence for a year and was fined A$3,000.
Shaw served as a Supreme Court justice for 647 days (1 year, 9 months and 8 days).
Post-judicial career
After leaving the bench, Shaw was a director of The People's Solicitors, a SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
law firm. He returned to 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...
as a part-time lecturer on employment law. He was also an adjunct professor of law at the University of Technology, Sydney
University of Technology, Sydney
The University of Technology Sydney is a university in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The university was founded in its current form in 1981, although its origins trace back to the 1870s. UTS is notable for its central location as the only university with its main campuses within the Sydney CBD...
, a visiting professor at the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, Deputy Chairman at the Law Reform Commission of New South Wales
Law Reform Commission of New South Wales
The New South Wales Law Reform Commission is a commission to investigate, review and advise on the reform of the law in New South Wales, a state of Australia. The present commission came into existence on 25 September 1967 although it had been administratively established previously in 1966...
and a member of the Legal Aid Commission's Panel on Appellate Criminal Law.