Congratulations from all of Accountability Round Table and its friends to our Chair of the Accountability Round Table, Tim Smith, who is now the recipient of an Australia Day Honours Award 2018 – Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia.
Tim is unrelenting in his commitment to the principles of openness, transparency and accountability and to the precept that “public office is a public trust”. He is dedicated to ensuring as far as possible that all the consequences of that precept are met in the exercise of all political or government duty. He is tireless in the hours he spends and the accuracy and impartiality he insists on in any examination of behavioural or policy failings by anyone in public office regardless of their public stature or political preferences.
The award citation is reproduced below:
The Honourable Thomas Harrison SMITH QC, Camberwell Vic 3124
For significant service to the law and to the judiciary in Victoria, to the administration of justice, independent court governance and legal reform, and to education.
Service includes:
Chair and Founding Member, Accountability Round Table, since 2009. (‘a non-partisan group of (prominent) citizens dedicated to improving standards of accountability, probity, transparency and democratic practice in all governments and parliaments in Australia’).
Author, ‘Corruption – The abuse of entrusted power in Australia’, 2010.
Has published numerous papers and articles on evidence law, court governance and government integrity issues.
Presenter, various meetings, conferences and events.
Chair, Steering Committee on Evidence, Judicial College Victoria, since 2009.
Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Business and Economics, Monash University, 2009-2014. Member, Executive Committee and Governing Council, Judicial Conference Australia, 2003- 2006.
Member, Advisory Committee on Court Governance, Australian Institute of Judicial Administration, early 2000s.
Australian Law Reform Commission:
Law Reform Commissioner, 1980-1987.
Commissioner, Victorian Law Reform Commission, 2004-2006.
Supreme Court of Victoria
Judge, 1990-2009.
Past Principal Judge, Trial Division.
Past Principal Judge, Common Law Division.
Victorian County Court Judge, 1988-1990.
QC (Silk), since 1986.
Barrister and Solicitor, since 1965.