<P> The appointment process stands in stark contrast with the highly public selection and confirmation process for justices of the Supreme Court of the United States . While there are people who are critical of the secrecy of the process and who advocate a more public method for appointments, there are relatively few who dispute the quality of appointees . Three Chief Justices (Sir Adrian Knox, Sir John Latham and Sir Garfield Barwick) had previously been conservative politicians prior to their appointment . However, there is frequent criticism of Barwick's intervention in the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis, when he gave advice to Governor - General Sir John Kerr . On the other side of politics, Labor politicians Dr H.V. Evatt QC, Sir Edward McTiernan and Lionel Murphy QC were also appointed to the High Court; Murphy, Attorney - General in the Whitlam government, was criticised by the conservative side at the time of his appointment but after a decade in office had risen, on occasion, to the heights of Acting Chief Justice . His reputation was gravely damaged in 1985 after illegal police phone - tapping led to charges that he had attempted to pervert the course of justice . He was eventually acquitted of all charges . </P> <P> v t e </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Name </Th> <Th> State </Th> <Th> Date appointed </Th> <Th> Mandatory retirement </Th> <Th> Appointing Governor - General </Th> <Th> Nominating Prime Minister </Th> <Th> Previous judicial posting (s) </Th> <Th> Education </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Kiefel, Susan Susan Kiefel AC (Chief Justice) </Td> <Td> Queensland </Td> <Td> 000000002017 - 01 - 30 - 0000 30 January 2017 (as Chief Justice) 000000002007 - 09 - 04 - 0000 4 September 2007 (as Justice) </Td> <Td> 000000002024 - 01 - 17 - 0000 17 January 2024 </Td> <Td> Cosgrove, Sir Peter Sir Peter Cosgrove (as Chief Justice) Jeffery, Michael Michael Jeffery (as Justice) </Td> <Td> Turnbull, Malcolm Malcolm Turnbull (Liberal, as Chief Justice) Howard, John John Howard (Liberal, as Justice) </Td> <Td> Supreme Court of Queensland Federal Court of Australia </Td> <Td> Queensland Barristers' Admission Board University of Cambridge </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Bell, Virginia Virginia Bell AC </Td> <Td> New South Wales </Td> <Td> 000000002009 - 02 - 03 - 0000 3 February 2009 </Td> <Td> 000000002021 - 03 - 07 - 0000 7 March 2021 </Td> <Td> Bryce, Dame Quentin Dame Quentin Bryce </Td> <Td> Rudd, Kevin Kevin Rudd (Labor) </Td> <Td> Supreme Court of New South Wales </Td> <Td> University of Sydney </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Gageler, Stephen Stephen Gageler AC </Td> <Td> New South Wales </Td> <Td> 000000002012 - 10 - 09 - 0000 9 October 2012 </Td> <Td> 000000002028 - 07 - 05 - 0000 5 July 2028 </Td> <Td> Bryce, Dame Quentin Dame Quentin Bryce </Td> <Td> Gillard, Julia Julia Gillard (Labor) </Td> <Td> None; former Solicitor - General of Australia </Td> <Td> Australian National University Harvard University </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Keane, Patrick Patrick Keane AC </Td> <Td> Queensland </Td> <Td> 000000002013 - 03 - 01 - 0000 1 March 2013 </Td> <Td> 000000002022 - 10 - 26 - 0000 26 October 2022 </Td> <Td> Bryce, Dame Quentin Dame Quentin Bryce </Td> <Td> Gillard, Julia Julia Gillard (Labor) </Td> <Td> Supreme Court of Queensland Federal Court of Australia </Td> <Td> University of Queensland University of Oxford </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Nettle, Geoffrey Geoffrey Nettle </Td> <Td> Victoria </Td> <Td> 000000002015 - 02 - 03 - 0000 3 February 2015 </Td> <Td> 000000002020 - 12 - 02 - 0000 2 December 2020 </Td> <Td> Cosgrove, Sir Peter Sir Peter Cosgrove </Td> <Td> Abbott, Tony Tony Abbott (Liberal) </Td> <Td> Supreme Court of Victoria </Td> <Td> Australian National University University of Melbourne University of Oxford </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Gordon, Michelle Michelle Gordon </Td> <Td> Victoria </Td> <Td> 000000002015 - 06 - 09 - 0000 9 June 2015 </Td> <Td> 000000002034 - 11 - 19 - 0000 19 November 2034 </Td> <Td> Cosgrove, Sir Peter Sir Peter Cosgrove </Td> <Td> Abbott, Tony Tony Abbott (Liberal) </Td> <Td> Federal Court of Australia </Td> <Td> University of Western Australia </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Edelman, James James Edelman </Td> <Td> Western Australia </Td> <Td> 000000002017 - 01 - 30 - 0000 30 January 2017 </Td> <Td> 000000002044 - 01 - 09 - 0000 9 January 2044 </Td> <Td> Cosgrove, Sir Peter Sir Peter Cosgrove </Td> <Td> Turnbull, Malcolm Malcolm Turnbull (Liberal) </Td> <Td> Federal Court of Australia Supreme Court of Western Australia </Td> <Td> University of Western Australia Murdoch University University of Oxford </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Name </Th> <Th> State </Th> <Th> Date appointed </Th> <Th> Mandatory retirement </Th> <Th> Appointing Governor - General </Th> <Th> Nominating Prime Minister </Th> <Th> Previous judicial posting (s) </Th> <Th> Education </Th> </Tr>

Who is the judge most recently appointed to the high court of australia