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Law & Justice

The Mason Conversation

Wide shot of the Mason Conversation event in 2019

The Mason Conversation is a series named in honour of Sir Anthony Mason AC KBE GBM, marking his outstanding generosity and contribution over decades to UNSW Sydney.

As well as a distinguished career in the law, including as Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia (1987-95), Sir Anthony was the fifth Chancellor of the University of New South Wales between 1994 and 1999 and the inaugural Chair of the Advisory Committee to the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law. 

The Mason Conversation series is a feature event in the Gilbert + Tobin Centre’s calendar. Each year, the event will present a prominent person in conversation about contemporary issues in public affairs with a particular focus on public law. 

2024 – The Honourable Justice Virginia Bell AC

Virginia Bell was appointed to the High Court of Australia in February 2009, and retired in February 2021. At the time of her appointment to the High Court, she was a judge of the New South Wales Court of Appeal. She graduated from the University of Sydney as a Bachelor of Laws in 1977. After seven years as a solicitor with the Redfern Legal Centre, she was admitted to the New South Wales Bar in 1984 and was appointed a Senior Counsel in 1997. She practised as a public defender between 1986 and 1989 before returning to the private Bar. Between 1994 and 1997 she was a counsel assisting the Royal Commission into the New South Wales Police Service. Virginia Bell was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in March 1999. She served as president of the Australian Institute of Judicial Administration 2006 to 2008.

This event occurred on Tuesday, 6 Aug 2024 at Banco Court. A recording of the event is available below.  

Previous events

  • The fifth Mason Conversation featured The Honourable Murray Gleeson AC. Murray Gleeson served as Chief Justice of Australia from 1998 to 2008, and of NSW from 1988 to 1998. He was called to the bar in 1963 and appointed Queen's Counsel in 1974, was President of the NSW Bar Association from 1984 to 1985 and Lieutenant Governor of NSW from 1989 to 1998. He currently serves as a non-permanent judge on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal.

    The video of the event is available .

  • The fourth Mason Conversation featured Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC QC.

    Beazley is the 39th Governor of New South Wales, commencing her five year tenure on 2 May 2019. Prior to her appointment as Governor, Her Excellency enjoyed a long and distinguished law career spanning 43 years, during which time she served as a role model for women in law at both the State and national level.

    Appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1989, in 1993 she was made a judge of the Federal Court of Australia, the first woman to sit exclusively in that Court. In 1996, she achieved the distinction of being the first woman appointed to the New South Wales Court of Appeal and, subsequently, as the first woman to be appointed as its President. She served, on a number of occasions, as Administrator of the Government of the State of New South Wales.

    The video of the event is available .

  • The third Mason Conversation featured The Honourable Michael McHugh AC QC, former Justice of the High Court of Australia in dialogue with Professor George Williams.

    McHugh was first admitted to the New South Wales Bar back in 1961. He was appointed Queen's Counsel (QC) in 1973 and was Vice President of the New South Wales Bar Association, 1978–81, and later as President, 1981–83. He was appointed as a Judge of Appeal of the New South Wales Court of Appeal on 30 October 1984.

    McHugh was appointed as a judge of the High Court in February 1989. He held this position until October 2005, and was the Acting Chief Justice for various periods between 1999-2005. After he retired from the High Court, McHugh was appointed as one of the Non-Permanent Justices of the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong, a position also held by Sir Anthony Mason. McHugh currently practises as an independent mediator and arbitrator at Eleven Wentworth in Sydney.

    The video of the event is available .

  • The second Mason Conversation featured Ms Patricia Anderson AO and Professor Megan Davis in dialogue with Professor George Williams and audience members. Pat Anderson and Megan Davis shared the leadership of a unique and historic public law process in 2016-17: the deliberative Regional Dialogues and First Nations Constitutional Convention that culminated with the Uluru Statement from the Heart. 

    The conversational nature of this event allows for unique insights into the people behind processes at the highest level of politics and government in Australia. Pat and Megan are two Aboriginal women from different generations and backgrounds, whose personal and professional experiences are not just remarkable in themselves but also illuminate important dimensions of contemporary Australian society. 

    The video of the event is available .

  • The Inaugural Mason Conversation featured a dialogue between Sir Anthony Mason, Professor George Williams and members of a large public audience, including many UNSW Law & Justice students. Sir Anthony discussed present trends and future challenges for Australian law and government. He talked about influences and milestones in his long career as barrister, judge and public figure, and his personal reflections were delivered with Sir Anthony’s customary clarity, succinctness and dry wit. 

    The video of the event is available .