It’s not often school kids get the inside word on some of Australia’s biggest known legal cases.
But thats exactly what Noosa District State High School Year 12 Social and Community Studies students during a recent visit by veteran lawyer David Muir.
While stories of the past has the students enthralled, his new focus on law-making, including Queensland Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) law reform and the Republic Campaign, also provided some important lessons.
Some of the cases highlighted by Mr Muir included his involvement in acting for the insurer regarding the Childers backpackers’ fire when fifteen young people perished in June 2000.
The investigation team, instructed by Mr Muir on the Childers backpackers fire claim, helped the police to identify that the fire was deliberately lit.
“This was the key part of the evidence that led to the apprehension of the perpetrator of the fire who remains in prison after being convicted for killing two of the fifteen victims of the fire,” Mr Muir said.
Mr Muir also spoke about the Annetts’ case against Sherwin Pastoral Company that went to the High Court regarding a nervous shock claim by the parents of James Annetts.
Teenager James Annetts, 16, died in the Kimberley Desert after becoming lost and attempting to drive his way out of the desert in a dilapidated station vehicle.
“The Annetts’ case, ultimately, changed the law in Australia in regard to the ability to sue for nervous shock,” Mr Muir said.
Mr Muir discussed with the students ‘the bombs in the ceiling’ case at the Kawana Shopping World where he successfully defended an insurance claim over a million dollars in the Federal Court.
Mr Muir, now retired from the law, focuses his attention on law reform as chair of the Clem Jones Group.
“In 2018, the Clem Jones Group commenced a campaign for Voluntary Assisted Dying reform, with this campaign leading to the Queensland Government instituting a parliamentary inquiry,” Mr Muir said.
This inquiry took evidence throughout Queensland, including the Sunshine Coast, and ultimately, recommended VAD reform to provide terminally ill Queenslanders a choice of treatment, along with palliative care, at the end of life.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk referred the recommendations of the parliamentary inquiry to the Queensland Law Reform Commission, which has been tasked with drawing a draft bill by May 10, 2021.
This bill will be sent to the Queensland Parliamentary Health Committee for further discussion before a debate on the bill is due in September this year.
“The Clem Jones Group previously provided funding for the campaign in Victoria, which led to the passing of the legislation in that state,” Mr Muir said.
Western Australia, subsequently, passed similar laws, as did Tasmania last week.
A VAD bill is also currently before the South Australian Parliament.
“The campaign for an Australian republic requiring change to the Australian Constitution will take a little longer,” Mr Muir said.
The Real Republic Australia, chaired by Mr Muir, is committed to bring about a republic in Australia like the model in the Republic of Ireland, which will provide for direct election of an Australian Head of State.
“This would result, for the first time, in having an Australian who would be eligible to be our Head of State, instead of a King or Queen of England,” Mr Muir said.
The Year 12 students found Mr Muir’s presentation to be very interesting and relevant to their Legal Studies unit.
Year 12 student Luca Thomas hoped an Australian republic would bring about more opportunity for indigenous recognition in the Australian Constitution.
“We could also have our own national day, an Independence Day, on a date that everyone is happy about,” Luca said.
