Harris Society: Hon John Sackar AM KC on Judicial Independence

The lecture will briefly examine the content of the Rule of Law in the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia. Each of these countries has, in various ways, embraced the doctrine of the separation of powers which in turn is a starting point for an independent judiciary. The independence of the judiciary is the means by which a liberal democracy is maintained (or not as the case may be). The lecture will examine the judiciaries of these countries and their history. The ultimate question underpinning this talk is – why does it matter; and how does the institutional design of the judicature, in respect of the separation of powers, affect the maintenance of the Rule of Law.