Australia gets First Indigenous Female Supreme Court Judge in Louise Taylor

The first Indigenous female Supreme Court judge in Australia, Louise Taylor, a Kamilaroi woman, has been sworn in. This is a historic appointment. She became the sixth judge on the ACT Supreme Court today, the day of the appointment.

Justice Taylor has already knocked down obstacles in the judicial system. She made history in 2018 when she was appointed as the first Indigenous magistrate in the ACT. She continues to pave the way for diversity and representation in the courts with her latest appointment.

As she acknowledged the significance of the Supreme Court in the legal system, Justice Taylor underlined her commitment to her position. She views her new role as a chance to manage a wider jurisdiction while performing her responsibilities as a judicial officer excellently.

When she was appointed, Justice Taylor said how very honoured she was to serve the community and recognised how important the occasion was for her, her family, and all First Nations people, especially Indigenous women. She is aware of the responsibility she has as a role model and aspires to encourage others, particularly young solicitors, to pursue a career in law with grit and desire.

Shane Rattenbury, the Attorney General of the Australian Capital Territory, praised the government's selection of Justice Taylor as a local judge and emphasised the significance of her representation as an Aboriginal woman. Her selection is considered as a step towards encouraging aspiring solicitors from varied backgrounds to achieve their goals and further diversifying the legal profession.

Chief Justice Lucy McCallum had a good opinion of the rearrangement of the ACT Supreme Court bench, which resulted in the appointment of Justice Taylor as the sixth judge. She thinks the modifications have made the court stronger by bringing in a variety of experience and knowledge from many fields, including New South Wales-based solicitors who have acted as appellant advocates.

An important turning point in Australia's legal history was the selection of Louise Taylor as the nation's first Indigenous female Supreme Court judge. She instills optimism for a more diverse and inclusive court as she assumes her new position, motivating future generations to follow in her footsteps.