Sir Richard Clarence Kirby (22 September 190425 October 2001) was a long-serving president of the Australian Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission (1956–1973) (having first been appointed to the Commission in 1947). In 1973, because of ill health, he retired from this post.
He was also a member of the Australian War Crimes Commission.
His biography was written by Blanche d'Alpuget in 1977.
Early life
Richard Kirby was born on September 22, 1904, in Charters Towers, Queensland. He grew up in Sydney, where he attended The King's School, Parramatta before studying at the University of Sydney Law School.
He became a solicitor in 1928 and was admitted to the New South Wales Bar in 1933. He had a general legal practice which was interrupted by the Second World War, during which he served in the Second Australian Imperial Force from 1942 to 1944.
Honours
Kirby was knighted in the 1961 New Year Honours.It's an Honour: Knight Bachelor He was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in the 1985 Australia Day HonoursIt's an Honour: AC
The bi-annual Sir Richard Kirby Lecture is now held in his honour.
It was often assumed he was the father of former High Court judge Michael Kirby (who has delivered the Sir Richard Kirby Lecture), but they were not related.Justice Michael Kirby
References
Sources d'Alpuget, Blanche (1977), Mediator: A biography of Sir Richard Kirby Justice Michael Kirby: Sir Richard Kirby Lecture "SIR RICHARD KIRBY, MEDIATION AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS TODAY", 20 November 1996