Philip Cummins

Philip Damien Cummins (9 November 1939 – 24 February 2019) was an Australian lawyer and judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria. Cummins was the presiding judge in the trials of the Silk–Miller police murders, the death of Daniel Valerio and the trial of Robert Farquharson. He chaired the Protecting Victoria’s Vulnerable Children Inquiry in 2011 before being appointed chairperson of the Victorian Law Reform Commission. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours.

Early life and education

Cummins was born on 9 November 1939. He attended Xavier College before enrolling at the University of Melbourne, where he served as President of the Law Students' Society and Vice-President of the Students' Representative Society. He later earned a Master of Science in Psychiatry by thesis, with First Class Honours, and subsequently reached the confirmation stage of a PhD, both at the University of Melbourne. The Valerio case led Cummins to recommend the introduction of mandatory reporting of child abuse in Victoria, which was subsequently enacted into law. He chaired the Victoria Law Foundation from 2009 to 2014, with a focus on its public legal education programme.

The Victorian Government issued a formal statement of condolence, with Attorney-General Jill Hennessy describing his contribution to the justice system as important and tireless. Chief Justice Anne Ferguson noted his long and distinguished service to the people of Victoria, the legal profession, and the Court. The President of the Law Institute of Victoria, Stuart Webb, acknowledged his contribution to law reform, access to justice, and public legal education.