Former Fijian Judge honors contributions of Australian Chief Judge

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Justice Stephen Thackray, the former Chief Judge of the Family Court of Western Australia. Picture: SUPPLIED.

Former High Court Judge Mere Pulea has expressed her condolences on the passing of Justice Stephen Thackray, the former chief judge of the Family Court of Western Australia.

When Stephen Thackray suddenly passed away on April 2, 2020, at the age of 65, not only did Western Australia lose a distinguished family law practitioner and chief judge of the Family Court but the Fiji Family Court lost a dear friend and extraordinary person who played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Family Court of Fiji,” stated Ms Pulea.

According to Ms Pulea, Justice Thackray has his footprints in the history of the Fiji Courts.

“In 2005/2006 the Family Court of Western Australia was part of the support provided by the Australia/Fiji Law and Justice Sector program to implement the 2003 Fiji Family Law Act by establishing the Family Court as a division of the High Court and Magistrates’ Court. The engagement with the Western Australian Family Court and with chief judge Thackray leading this initiative in a new country with different cultural practices, was a great privilege for us,” she stated.

Ms Pulea, who has also written and published text books and reports on the Pacific legal systems, family law and environmental law, said JusticeThackray visited Fiji on a number of occasions in 2005/2006 and widely consulted with court personnel.

“Judge Thackray released from his court the principal registrar and the manager of Family Court Counselling Services to assist with the drafting of the Family Court rules, regulations and procedures, undertake training for registry staff and counsellors, arranged for library resource assistance and  orientation visits to the Family Court of Western Australia. Judge Thackray provided further assistance by establishing twinning arrangements between the Family Court of Western Australia and the Fiji Family Court.

“I would like to honour Judge Thackray for his commitment, expertise, positivity and constant support to the Fiji judiciary at the time of the establishment of the Fiji Family Court. Together with his wife Janet, they had special affection for Fiji and for us. Judge Thackray was a man of many gifts that made him a superb Judge and administrator.

“I learnt a great deal from him about the practice of family law in my role as the first judge of the Fiji Family Court. I can think of no one who was more supportive, more generous, more thoughtful and kind than he was to me, to us and to the Family Court of Fiji.”

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