Ted Mullighan
Edward Picton "Ted" Mullighan,
Early life and education
Mullighan was born on 25 March 1939 in a hospital in the seaside suburb of
Mullighan attended Largs Bay Primary School and then, from Grade 7, Pulteney Grammar School on South Terrace, Adelaide, winning a scholarship after around a year. He said that the school did not have a good academic reputation in those days, and he was a poor scholar. He did not complete matriculation, but instead got a job as an office boy in the Crown Solicitor's Office, beginning to study law at the University of Adelaide part-time about a year and a half later.[1] He studied there from 1957 to 1961.[2]
Career
Mullighan practised law from 1962, when he was working for Roma Mitchell and, at the age of 23, became a partner in the firm, purely to be able to appear in the Supreme Court of South Australia, there being no Bar at that point.[1]
He was made
He was Counsel Assisting in six Royal Commissions, and also acted for the victims of the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires in their compensation claims.[4][1]
He retired in 2004.[4] At the time of his retirement, he said:[5]
I trust that the community will not always want to pursue the relentless goal of increasing punishment as a way of fixing society's current problems. I would very much like to work with offenders and help them realise the effects they have had on victims of their crimes.
Other roles
Mullighan served as president of the
From 1993 to 1996 he was a member of the State Courts Administration Council, and in 2005 became Chair of the Forensic Science Advisory Committee.[2]
He mentored young lawyers, and was known for promoting
From 2002 to 2005 he was Chair of the Centre for Restorative Justice at OARS (Offenders Aid & Rehabilitation Services of SA).[2]
Commission of Inquiry
Although retired, Mullighan accepted the role of Commissioner for the Children in State Care Commission of Inquiry.
The final report of the Inquiry (also known as "the Mullighan Report"), published in March 2008, found "that in the past 65 years the State has failed to protect some of the children in its care from sexual abuse", and its record-keeping of the 924 children who had died while in state care was manifestly inadequate. The report included 54 recommendations, intended to improve many aspects of children in care. These included amendments to the Children's Protection Act 1993, various improvements to the practices of
In 2011 it was reported that more than 50 per cent of the victims identified in the Mullighan Inquiry had refused to lodge claims for ex gratia payments, and instead sought private settlements from the government.[11]
Former Premier of South Australia, Mike Rann, said after Mullighan's death that Mullighan had "managed to gain the confidence of a section of the community who had never before been able to speak about their experiences".[4]
Recognition
In June 2010 he was awarded an
Death and legacy
Mullighan died on 15 September 2011 in Adelaide, aged 72, after a long battle with cancer. His wife, Jan, and five sons survived him.[5][4] He was given a state funeral, with a service held at St Peter's Cathedral in North Adelaide.[12]
Then Attorney-General of South Australia John Rau said that he had left an "enormous" legacy, including inspiring "countless young lawyers"'and "The community owes him a great debt for his painstaking and thorough work".[5]
See also
- Layton report, a review of child protection laws in 2002
References
- ^ a b c d e f Mullighan, Ted (23 January 2010). "Honourable Ted Mullighan QC". Law Society of South Australia (Interview). Oral Histories Interview. Interviewed by Emerson, John. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Citation: The Hon Edward Picton Mullighan QC" (PDF). University of Adelaide. 16 April 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ISBN 1-86254-522-7.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Edwards, Verity (16 September 2011). "Former South Australian Supreme Court judge Ted Mullighan dies". The Australian. Archived from the original on 16 September 2011.
- ^ a b c d e Brewster, Sean (16 September 2011). "Former Supreme Court Justice Ted Mullighan dies from cancer". The Advertiser (Adelaide). Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ a b c "Children in State Care Commission of Inquiry (2004 - 2008)". Find&Connect. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
- ^ "Commission of Inquiry (Children in State Care and Children on APY Lands) Act 2004". South Australian Legislation. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2022. Version: 26.6.2007 PDF
- ^ "Commission of Inquiry into Children in State Care" (PDF). National Link-Up News (5). 5 April 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 July 2005.
- ^ Mullighan, Ted (31 March 2008). Children In State Care Commission Of Inquiry Allegations Of Sexual Abuse And Death From Criminal Conduct: Presented To The South Australian Parliament by the Hon. E.P. Mullighan QC (PDF) (Report). Government of South Australia. Retrieved 21 March 2022 – via Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
- ^ Mullighan, Ted (31 March 2008). Children In State Care Commission Of Inquiry Allegations Of Sexual Abuse And Death From Criminal Conduct: Presented To The South Australian Parliament by the Hon. E.P. Mullighan QC (PDF) (Report). Government of South Australia. Retrieved 21 March 2022 – via Government of South Australia. Department for Child Protection].
- ^ Williamson, Brett (16 February 2011). "Over 50 percent of Mullighan Inquiry victims reject government offer" (Text + audio). Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ "State funeral for champion of reconciliation". ABC News. 23 September 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2022.