...Part of the Kirby mystery is that his radical impacts stem from a man who is fundamentally not a radical, and whose chief personal message is anything but radical - unlike most media interpretations of him, including those he has encouraged - A J Brown
The remarkable story of the life and work of Australia's most famous modern judge
This biography charts Michael Kirby's extraordinary public life from his first forays as a student politician in the 1960s, to his appointment as foundation chairman of the Australian Law Reform Commission in 1975 to his retirement as a Justice of the High Court of Australia in 2009.
Internationally, Kirby has been a leader in law reform and human rights with the OECD, UNESCO and the WHO Global Program on AIDS. He was the first Australian to serve as a Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Human Rights.
AJ Brown reveals Kirby's often challenging path as a judge, public intellectual and gay man. He shows the sharp contrast between Kirby's 30-year love affair with controversial public issues and the reality of a man whose underlying message is deeply traditionalist - even defending the monarchy.
The slow coming together of Kirby's personal and public lives culminates in sharp moments of truth - for Kirby, for powerful institutions, and for a society learning to copy with the challenges of change.
Media about the book
ABC Local Radio Canberra Interview
ABC Local Radio Perth Interview
Malcolm Turnbull's remarks at the Sydney book launch - 5 April 2011"I can say this of Michael -- its been said of others, myself included in fact -- that is often wrong but never in doubt. And its a good way to be, because as AJ Brown relates in this book towards the end, he describes Michael talking about his role in our society as being a player of one instrument in an orchestra..." - Malcolm Turnbull
Pictures from the Brisbane book launch at Avid Reader - 5 April 2011
Lawyers Weekly on Michael Kirby: Principles and Paradoxes
"It was in 1986 that AJ Brown first met Michael Kirby. The encounter with the man who would soon become a High Court judge was unusual; meeting Michael Kirby was the first prize in a law school essay writing contest organised by University of NSW" - Lawyers Weekly
Justinian - AJ Brown on the couch
"What's your favourite film? Good Night, and Good Luck
If you hadn't become a lawyer and an academic what occupation would you like to have? Novelist. Michael Kirby says I already am.
What is your favourite piece of music? Currently ... "Bloodbuzz Ohio" by the National
If you were a foodstuff, what would you be? Profiteroles"
About the author - AJ Brown
Interview extracts from "Michael Kirby: Don't forget the justice bit", used with permission from Film Art Media | Purchase the documentary here | Download the video transcript
Professor AJ Brown is John F Kearney Professor of Public law at Griffith University. A leading scholar in public accountability, Australian constitutionalism and political history, he has been researching this biography since 2003, including exclusive access to Michael Kirby's personal and official papers and independent research into the professional, political and philosophical controversies around him.
AJ has worked as a senior investigator for the Commonwealth Ombudsman, an associate to the President of the Queensland Court of Appeal and as a ministerial policy advisor in the Queensland Government. Professor Brown is also the lead researcher for the Australian Constitutional Values Survey, and has been project leader of the world's largest empirical research project into public interest whistle blowing: Whistling While They Work (2005-2009).
About the book
- Released: 5 April, 2011
- Publisher: The Federation Press
- Hardback with dust jacket
- 582 pages
- RRP $59.95 - Direct price $55.00
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