Tony Fitzgerald

Gerald Edward "Tony" Fitzgerald (born 26 November 1941) is an Australian former Australian judge, who presided over the Fitzgerald Inquiry. The report from the inquiry led to the resignation of the Premier of Queensland Joh Bjelke-Petersen, and the jailing of several ministers and a police commissioner. He was the youngest person to be appointed as a judge of the Federal Court of Australia. While undertaking the Fitzgerald Inquiry, he and his family received death threats which were taken seriously by police.

In 1990 and 1991, Fitzgerald also chaired the Commission of Inquiry into the Conservation, Management and Use of Fraser Island and the Great Sandy Region.

Fitzgerald has been the chairperson of both the Australian Heritage Commission and the National Institute for Law, Ethics and Public Affairs, as well as being the inaugural chancellor of the University of the Sunshine Coast.

Retirement After retiring in 2001,

In 2001, he investigated alcohol abuse in Indigenous communities, and was shocked by the extent of the statewide problem. His "Fitzgerald Report" (Cape York Justice Study, presented to Parliament in November 2001 One of the findings related to communities relying on the income generated by sales of alcohol in canteens, recommending that this perceived conflict of interest end. The Indigenous Communities Liquor Licences Bill 2002 (Qld) and the Community Services Legislation Amendment Bill 2002 were introduced as part of the government response to the report.

In July 2009, following the Gordon Nuttall scandal and public criticisms of contemporary governance in Queensland, Fitzgerald revealed his relocation to New South Wales was due in large part to the 1998 election of the Beattie Labor government and the loss of momentum for reform.

In 2013 and 2014, Fitzgerald criticised the Queensland government led by Campbell Newman over new laws targeting bikies and sex offenders, as well as the appointment of Tim Carmody as Chief Justice of Queensland.

Legacy The Tony Fitzgerald Memorial Community Award is awarded annually by the Australian Human Rights Commission "to a person with a track record in promoting and advancing human rights in the Australian community on a not-for-profit basis".

Fitzgerald donated his personal collection to the State Library of Queensland. This significant collection of items primarily relates to the events associated with the Commission of Inquiry. The material largely consists of newspaper clippings, original newspaper and magazine articles, courtroom sketches, cartoons and Fitzgerald’s personal papers. The collection also reflects political life in Queensland in the years leading up to and following the Inquiry.

In 2023, Tony Fitzgerald was awarded the Queensland Greats award in recognition of his service to law and the people of Queensland.

Publications Inquiry reports Commission of Inquiry into Possible Illegal Activities and Associated Police Misconduct | 1989 Commission of Inquiry into the Conservation, Management and Use of Fraser Island and the Great Sandy Region | 1991 Cape York Justice Study | 2001 Commission of Inquiry relating to the Crime and Corruption Commission | 2022

Opinion articles Queensland political ethics: A perfect oxymoron | Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2015 Queensland must put a stop to the political rot | Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2015 The only hope for democracy is for politicians to stand up to political parties | Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2017

Judicial papers Law Reform - The Judge's Role | Mayo Lecture, 1994 Crime, Disadvantage and Dilemmas of Justice | ANZ Society Annual Conference, 1997 The Common Law 'Reasonable Man': Misogynist or Sensitive New Age Guy | Judicial Conference, Canberra, 1994

Speeches Speech at the Launch of the ART Integrity Awards | Accountability Round Table Parliamentary Integrity Awards Launch, 2010