Edward Woodward (judge)

Sir Albert Edward Woodward AC, OBE, QC (6 August 1928 – 15 April 2010) was an Australian jurist.

Sir Edward Woodward
5th Director-General of Security
In office
9 March 1976 – 4 September 1981
Prime MinisterMalcolm Fraser
Preceded byFrank Mahony
Succeeded byHarvey Barnett
Personal details
Born
Albert Edward Woodward

(1928-08-06)6 August 1928
Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Died15 April 2010(2010-04-15) (aged 81)
Alma materUniversity of Melbourne
ProfessionJurist

Life and career

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Woodward was born in Ballarat in to Eric Woodward (later as Lieutenant General Sir Eric Woodward, a Governor of New South Wales) and Amy Freame (Weller), Lady Woodward. After completing both his primary and secondary education at Melbourne Grammar School, Woodward continued his studies at the University of Melbourne, where he graduated with a Master of Laws. He was admitted to the bar in 1951 and was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1965. During his career, he sat on several boards and 17 Royal Commissions, on four of which he was the Chairman.

The most famous of these was the Aboriginal Land Rights Commission in 1973–74. He was President of the Trade Practices Tribunal, 1974–76 and a Justice of the Federal Court of Australia, 1977–90. As Director-General of Security between 1976 and 1981, he headed the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.

He was a member of Camberwell Grammar School Council between 1972 and 1987 and Chairman in 1987. He was made a Life Governor of the school in 2002.

In 1990 he succeeded Sir Roy Douglas Wright as Chancellor of his alma mater, the University of Melbourne, a post he held until 2001.

He died in 2010, on 15 April 2010, aged 81.[1]

Honours

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Woodward was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1969, for service as Royal Commissioner into the Stevedoring Industry.[2] He was made a Knight Bachelor in 1982 and Companion of the Order of Australia in 2001.

He declined the governorship of Victoria on the grounds that he did not think it was appropriate for an atheist to hold the position.[3][4]

Publications

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  • Woodward, Albert Edward (1990). Three wigs and five hats. Darwin: Northern Territory Library Service. ISBN 0-7245-0581-4. OCLC 37093584.
  • Woodward, Edward (2005). One brief interval : a memoir. Carlton, Vic.: Miegunyah Press. ISBN 0-522-85163-0. OCLC 123913032.

References

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  1. ^ "The Australian, 16 April 2010". The Australian. 16 April 2010. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  2. ^ It's an Honour: OBE
  3. ^ "Edward Woodward". History.law.unimelb.edu.au. 27 April 2010. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  4. ^ "7.30 Report – 11/10/2005: Terrorist threat heightened, former spy boss says". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
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Government offices
Preceded by Director-General of Security
1976–1981
Succeeded by
Academic offices
Preceded by Chancellor of the University of Melbourne
1990–2001
Succeeded by