Margaret McMurdo AC

Ep. 54 The Hon. Margaret McMurdo AC

Margaret McMurdo is a true pioneer. She was the first woman to be appointed as a judge of the District Court in Queensland, the first woman in Australia appointed to lead an appellate court (appointed as president of the Queensland Court of Appeal) and all this as she and her husband raised four children. They had to rewrite the rules for her. They weren't contemplating a female judge so legislation had to be quickly amended. In the 90's. The 1990's!

Her advise for young women (and men) is timeless and essential listening.

Her passion for social justice has permeated her career. She co-founded the Women Lawyer’s Association amongst others, and she is patron of Women’s Legal Service, Caxton Legal Service and LawRight’s Civil Justice Fund. In 2017, she was appointed chair of the Board of Governors of Queensland Community Foundation, the state’s largest public perpetual charitable trust. She’s chair of the board of Legal Aid Qld as well as having Chaired the Victorian Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informers...otherwise known as the Lawyer X Royal Commission and since March 2021 has been chairing Queensland’s Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce. And we can only hope that the Qld Attorney General and Premier will adopt all of OM's (Our Margaret's) recommendations.

She was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2003 and in 2007 was made a Companion of the Order of Australia. 

An extraordinary career that paved the way for many, many others to follow.



Margaret Chairs the Qld Community Foundation and to read and donate to their extraordinary efforts go to:
www.qcf.org.au

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