Speeches

CITATION FOR THE AWARD OF

DOCTOR OF LETTERS HONORIS CAUSA

TO

THE HONOURABLE JUSTICE MICHAEL KIRBY AC CMG Hon D Litt (JCU)

SATURDAY 29 MARCH 2003

Mr Chancellor

The Council of James Cook University has resolved to award the degree of Doctor of Letters honoris causa to The Honourable Justice Michael Donald Kirby AC CMG.

The University wishes to recognise his exceptional achievements, academic excellence and exceptional contributions to the advancement of human well-being, particularly his commitment to human rights, community health and ethical practices in science and research.

Justice Kirby is currently a Justice of the High Court of Australia.

Justice Kirby has enjoyed a long and distinguished legal career spanning four decades. He was born and educated in Sydney, and holds the following degrees BA, LLM, BEc from Sydney University and a number of honorary degrees.

He was appointed to the High Court of Australia in 1996.

Justice Kirby's career demonstrates a strong commitment to human rights, community health and ethical practices in science and research.

He has numerous leading international posts. He has chaired two committees of the OECD on privacy and data security, he has taken an active part in UNESCO, and has served as a Member of the Global Commission on AIDS of the World Health Organisation.

He has also been involved in the Ethical, Legal and Social Issues Committee of the Human Genome Organisation and the Editorial Committee of the Commonwealth Association for Education in Journalism and Communication.

Justice Kirby was created Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1983 and a Companion of the Order of Australia in 1991, the same year he was awarded the Australian Human Rights Medal.

In 1998 Justice Kirby was made Honorary Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia and in 1999 the Laureate of the UNESCO Prize for Human Rights Education

Justice Kirby has made exceptional achievements, academic excellence and exceptional contributions to the advancement of human well-being, particularly his strong commitment to human rights, community health and ethical practices in science and research.

Mr Chancellor, by resolution of Council I present to you for admission to the degree
of Doctor of Letters honoris causa
The Honourable Justice Michael Donald Kirby AC CMG
29 March 2003