Archive

John came to the Victorian Bar in 1983 and read with Andrew Kirkham QC.

His practice developed to include both the criminal and civil jurisdictions in both the government and private sectors.

He now has extensive experience in coronial inquests. He also appeard with David Curtain QC on behalf of an electricity corporation at the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission (2009).

In addition, he appears in disciplinary hearings at VCAT (Chinese Medical Registration Board of Victoria) and has appeared before the Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria (both as Counsel Assisting and representing medical practitioners) and at the Pharmacy Board of Victoria.

John’s recent appearances include the following:

Coroner’s Court as Counsel Assisting:

• train/truck collision (KERANG railway level crossing);
• suicide (BLOOMFIELD)
• murder (BOTTOMLEY & HOWE);
• motor vehicle/bicycle collision (PEOPLES);
• Victoria Police – pursuit (WSOL & BAN);
• Victoria Police – arrest (suspect with mental illness) (QUILKEY)
• Victoria Police – arrest (suspect with cardiac condition) (MILLS); and
• Victoria Police – arrest by Special Operations Group (murder suspect) (JOANNOU).

Coroner’s Court as Counsel for interested parties:

• Victorian WorkCover Authority (BAKER, JONES & ANDERSON);
• Corrections Victoria (CASTLE & JONES);
• Forensicare – Thomas Embling Hospital (SPLATT & NOTAS), Metropolitan Assessment Prison – AAU (WYLY) and Metropolitan Assessment Prison (OMEROVIC);
• Victoria Police Members – arrest (suspect with mental illness) (CHAPMAN);
• St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne (PERRY, HARRINGTON, LAPILA, PANLOCK, HUYNH, WHYTE, STEPHENS, SHERRIFF, JENNINGS and PARKES);
• St Vincent’s Correctional Health Service – deaths in custody (WESTON, ZAYAT, WETCOTT, WHELAN, KENNEDY, VO, STEPHENS, BRIGHAM, CONDIE & KARASTAVROU);
• Latrobe Hostel (RICHMOND);
• Medical practitioners (intensive care physician, surgeon, radiologist, GPs and psychiatrist) (IREDELL, MARTINOV, RODGER, ACCARDO, KELLETT, ARTHUR & COLHOUN);
• Falls Creek Ski Lifts Pty. Ltd. – skiing accident (McARTHUR);
• Road Management Solutions Pty Ltd – industrial accident (RIMANICH);
• Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women’s Council Inc. – petrol sniffers (KEN, HUNT, THOMPSON, RYAN & COOPER); and
• family of the deceased – infant (HEWITT).

Criminal matters

Defence work and prosecuting on behalf of the DPP and other government departments/agencies such as the Department of Sustainability and Environment, and the Victorian WorkCover Authority.

Supervision Orders

He regularly appears on behalf of The Secretary to the Department of Justice (instructed by Corrections Victoria, Russell Kennedy and the VGSO) in applications for Supervision Orders pursuant to the provisions of the Serious Sex Offender (Detention and Supervision) Act 2009.

Civil matters

John focuses on personal injury matters.

John has also practised away from the Victorian Bar with the following organisations:

• Aboriginal legal aid services of the Northern Territory (Alice Springs & Darwin);
• Royal Australian Air Force – prosecuting and defending at Summary Hearings and Courts Martial;
• Pitjantjatjara Council Inc. – advising on mining exploration applications; native title & land rights; personal injuries; intellectual property, submissions to the Commonwealth & State governments;
• Uluru/Kata Tjuta National Park Board of Management (the Traditional Owners of the Uluru/Kata Tjuta National Park);
• Mutijulu community, Northern Territory;
• Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunyjatjara Women’s Council; and
• Native Title and Indigenous Issues Unit – Department of Justice, State Government of Victoria.