Sally Thomas

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This article is about the Australian judge. For the Canadian para-powerlifter, see Sally Thomas (powerlifter).

Judge of the Supreme Court (NT)
In office
30 July 1992 – 7 August 2009
Personal details
Born (1939-08-07) 7 August 1939 (age 85)
Cambridge, England
SpouseTed Rowe
Domestic partnerDuncan McNeill
EducationHornsby Girls' High School
ProfessionLawyer

Sally Gordon Thomas

AC (born 7 August 1939) is a former Judge of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory, serving from 1992 to 2009. She was appointed to the Court on 10 August 1992 and was the first woman to be appointed a Judge of the Court. She was sworn in as the first female Administrator of the Northern Territory in October 2011. One of her first engagements in the role was to welcome Barack Obama, the President of the United States, to Darwin
during his visit in November 2011.

Early life

Thomas was born in Cambridge, England on 7 August 1939,[1] to Geoffrey A and Mary G Thomas. Her family relocated to Sydney, New South Wales in 1947. She attended Hornsby Girls' High School[2] and eventually commenced work as a solicitor in New South Wales in 1963.

Magistrate and beyond

Thomas and her husband Ted Rowe relocated to

Chief Magistrate
in 1986 and held that position until she was appointed to the Supreme Court bench in 1992. Thomas retired on 6 August 2009.

She was President of the Australian Stipendiary Magistrates Association from 1988 to 1990.

She has a strong interest in the tertiary education of Territorians and was Deputy Chairman of the Northern Territory College of

Queensland University and then a Member of the then Northern Territory University Council from 1989 to 2003. In 2003 the Northern Territory University changed its name and became part of the expanded Charles Darwin University. She was appointed to the Council of Charles Darwin University and elected Deputy Chancellor, and she was appointed Chancellor of the University on 1 January 2010. Upon the completion of her second term as Chancellor, she announced Neil Balnaves would succeed her as Chancellor of the University.[3]

Her career has not been limited to the judicial system, she was Chair of the

Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission
from 1990 to 1996, Chair of the Northern Territory Winston Churchill Fellowship Committee from 1992 to 2004 and in 2004 she was appointed Deputy National Chair Fellowship, of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust.

In June 2000 she was appointed a Member of the

Winston Churchill Memorial Fellowship
Committee, to tertiary education, and to the law. She continues to hold an interest in these fields.

Honours

On 12 June 2000, Thomas was appointed a

Companion of the Order of Australia for eminent service to the people of the Northern Territory, particularly to the judiciary and social justice, to the advancement of women in the legal profession, to youth, and to the promotion and development of tertiary education.-[5]

She was nominated Senior Australian of the Year in 2010 for her achievements in her legal career.[6]

Other interests

Thomas is Patron of a number of organizations. She has been a Member of the Council of the

Winston Churchill Fellowship since 1992. She was also Chair of the Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission from 1990 to 1996 and was an Honorary Colonel in the Northern Territory Cadet Corp of the Australian Army
from 1993 – 1997. She was also an advisor to the Family Law Council.

Administrator of the Northern Territory

It was announced on 6 October 2011 that Sally Thomas would be appointed the 20th Administrator of the Northern Territory, as well as the first female in that role.[7] She was sworn into this position on 31 October 2011 at Parliament House, Darwin by the Governor-General of Australia, Ms Quentin Bryce AC.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Who's who in Australia". Herald and Weekly Times. 29 August 2002 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ Suzannah Pearce, ed. (17 November 2006). "THOMAS Sally Gordon, Hon. Justice". Who's Who in Australia Live!. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd.
  3. ^ "CDU announces new Chancellor". www.cdu.edu.au.
  4. ^ "Sally Thomas AM". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  5. ^ "Companion (AC) in the general division of the Order of Australia at the 2014 Australia Day honours" (PDF). Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia. 26 January 2014. p. 6. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
  6. ^ "NT Senior Australian of the Year 2010 – Territory Finalist Sally Thomas AM". Archived from the original on 20 September 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  7. ^ "Announcement of Sally Thomas AM as Administrator". Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  8. ^ "Sally Thomas AM sworn in as Administrator". Retrieved 11 December 2011.
Academic offices
Preceded by
Richard Ryan
 Chancellor of Charles Darwin University
2010–2016 		Succeeded by
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