Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Special sitting of the Environment, Resources and Development (ERD) Court
A special sitting of the Environment, Resources and Development (ERD) Court was held today, to mark the retirement of its Senior Judge and a founding member of the Court.
Judge Christine Trenorden served for almost 17 years as a judge, having been appointed as a Judge of the ERD Court and the District Court of South Australia in 1993.
The ERD Court was one of the first specialist courts of its kind in the nation. It has jurisdiction over development, heritage, environment protection, natural resources, irrigation, mining, native vegetation and native title matters.
An expert in planning, environmental and local government law before her appointment, Judge Trenorden led in the creation of Australia’s National Environmental Lawyers Association and the establishment of the SA Environmental Defender’s Office. She also contributed extensively to the development of environmental law in the curricula of SA’s Law Schools and mentored many young lawyers in the field.
The oldest of five children, born at Glenelg and raised at Mylor, Judge Trenorden has held key appointments in the Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration, and has represented South Australia and Australia on various national and international bodies, providing technical training to judges in India, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand and the Philippines.
Committed to demystifying the Courts, Judge Trenorden chaired key community relations committees within and outside of the Courts Administration Authority.
In speeches delivered today in court by the State Attorney-General, Mr Rau, the President of the Law Society, Mr Richard Mellows and remaining ERD Court Judge Susanne Cole, Judge Trenorden was described as being characteristically quiet, patient, visionary, with a strong work ethic, courteous, welcoming and highly respected, locally and internationally.
“Your absence will be strongly felt.” Mr Rau told the Court. “Thank you for your dedicated service to this Court but also to the whole community, over many years,” he said.
Judge Trenorden told the Court she had no regrets and had always enjoyed a challenge. She said that following her retirement, she intended to go with her husband to Fiji for a while, as a member of an international voluntary organisation assisting with the development of lawyers. “I didn’t seek to be a judge,” she told the Court. “I just wanted to be a very good lawyer – the best I could be.”
Contact: Sylvia Kriven. Phone 8204 0388 or 0421 617 205.
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