Three new judges sworn in.

Three national and Supreme Court judges and acting Advocate General were sworn in at the Government House today, May 9, 2024.

The newly appointed judges include two foreign judges of the Australian Federal High Court and one domestic judge.

The judges of the Australian High Court are Justice Karen Carmody and Justice Stephen Patrick Coates, appointed for a three-year term. The national judge is Judge Laura Wawun-Kuvi, appointed for a term of ten years.

Minister of Justice and Attorney General Pila Niningi attended the ceremony.

“As Minister of Justice and Attorney General, and also in the capacity of Chairman of the Commission on Judicial and Legal Services, I am pleased to announce today the swearing-in of the appointed National Judges and Judges of the Supreme Court and the Acting Advocate general,” said Mr. Niningi.

According to Mr Niningi, five judges have been appointed, three of whom were sworn in today. The other two on the Australian Federal Court will be sworn in in July.

In addition to the three judges, Mr. E’ava Geita, a senior lawyer from the Ministry of Justice and Procurators was also appointed following a vacancy in the office of the Solicitor General, and now sworn in as Acting Solicitor General under the Procuratorate -general law. 1979.

Congratulating the appointees, Mr Niningi said: “In pursuance of my position, I would like to congratulate and thank all the appointees for your availability to serve in the Judiciary and State Law Office respectively.

“In commemoration of the recent appointments, it is appropriate that all individuals responsible for making these appointments are present today to witness the formalities of the official swearing-in ceremony.”

Mr. Niningi Concluded by thanking the Marape-Rosso Government for their support through funding and resources for the judiciary, magisterial services and state attorneys in the administration of justice.