Attorney General of New South Wales

The attorney general of New South Wales, in formal contexts also attorney-general or attorney general for New South WalesSee, e.g. Attorney General for New South Wales v Burns & Ors, Leahy v Attorney-General for New South Wales and Makin v Attorney General for New South Wales and usually known simply as the attorney general, is a minister in the Government of New South Wales who has responsibility for the administration of justice in New South Wales, Australia. In addition, the attorney general is one of the Law Officers of the Crown. Along with the subordinate solicitor general, crown advocate, and crown solicitor, the attorney general serves as the chief legal and constitutional adviser of the Crown and Government of New South Wales.

The current attorney general, since 28 March 2023, is Michael Daley.

The attorney general and the ministers administer the portfolio through the Stronger Communities cluster, in particular the Department of Communities and Justice and a range of other government agencies.

Ultimately, the attorney general and the ministers are responsible to the Parliament of New South Wales.

History and function The position of Attorney General has existed since 1824, well before the full establishment of the New South Wales Parliament (in 1856) but coinciding with the establishment of the New South Wales Legislative Council. From the beginning, the attorney general has been the Crown's advisor and representative in legal matters. It was modelled after the office of the Attorney General for England and Wales. As such the attorney general advises and represents the Crown and government departments in court. The person appointed to this role provides legal advice to the Government, acts as the representative of the public interest and resolves issues between government departments.

The attorney general also has supervisory powers over the prosecution of criminal offences, but is not personally involved with prosecutions. Today, prosecutions are carried out by the Public Prosecution Office and most legal advice to government departments is provided by the Government Legal Service, both under the supervision of the attorney general. The attorney general may appeal cases to the higher courts where, although the particular case is settled, there may be a point of law of public importance at issue. The attorney general is responsible to Parliament for activities of the Department of Justice and has responsibility for the all state's courts and tribunals and the appointment of judges, magistrates and statutory officers in New South Wales.

List of ministers

Attorneys general The following individuals have served as Attorney General of New South Wales: Ordinal Attorney General Party Term begin Term end Time in office 1   Not a member ofLegislative Council 14 April 1824 13 October 1826 2 (acting) 13 October 1826 31 July 1827 3 1 August 1827 24 January 1831 (acting) 24 January 1831 24 June 1831 4   Prior to responsible government 25 June 1831 18 April 1836 5 17 September 1836 5 June 1856 6   No party 6 June 1856 25 August 1856 7 26 August 1856 2 October 1856 3 October 1856 25 May 1857 26 May 1857 7 September 1857 7 September 1857 8 November 1858 9 15 November 1858 21 February 1859 10 21 February 1859 26 October 1859 11 27 October 1859 13 February 1860 21 February 1860 8 March 1860 12 2 April 1860 31 July 1863 1 August 1863 15 October 1863 16 October 1863 2 February 1865 3 February 1865 20 June 1865 25 August 1865 21 January 1866 22 January 1866 26 October 1868 21 October 1868 15 December 1870 16 December 1870 13 May 1872 13 15 May 1872 10 November 1873 14 20 November 1873 8 February 1875 15 9 February 1875 21 March 1877 16 22 March 1877 16 August 1877 17 August 1877 17 December 1877 17 18 December 1877 20 December 1878 21 December 1878 10 August 1879 18 13 August 1879 4 January 1883 5 January 1883 6 October 1885 19 7 October 1885 21 December 1885 20 22 December 1885 25 February 1886 26 February 1886 19 January 1887   20 January 1887 18 May 1887 21 27 May 1887 7 February 1888 10 February 1888 16 January 1889 22   17 January 1889 7 March 1889   8 March 1889 22 October 1891   23 October 1891 14 December 1893 23 15 December 1893 2 August 1894   3 August 1894 1 December 1894 18 December 1894 18 April 1899 24 19 April 1899 13 September 1899   / 14 September 1899 14 June 1904 25   15 June 1904 29 August 1904 26   29 August 1904 20 October 1910 27   21 October 1910 29 January 1914 28 29 January 1914 15 November 1916   15 November 1916 23 July 1919 29 23 July 1919 12 April 1920 30   12 April 1920 20 December 1921 31   20 December 1921 20 December 1921 7 hours   20 December 1921 13 April 1922   13 April 1922 17 June 1925   17 June 1925 26 May 1927 32 27 May 1927 18 October 1927 33 Francis Boyce   18 October 1927 3 November 1930   4 November 1930 16 June 1931 34 16 June 1931 15 October 1931   15 October 1931 13 May 1932 35   16 May 1932 17 June 1932 36 18 June 1932 16 May 1941 37   16 May 1941 23 February 1953 38 23 February 1953 15 March 1956 39 15 March 1956 13 May 1965 40   13 May 1965 3 January 1975 41 3 January 1975 14 May 1976 42   14 May 1976 1 February 1983 43 1 February 1983 24 November 1984 44 (acting) 27 November 1984 12 December 1984 45 12 December 1984 26 November 1987 46 26 November 1987 21 March 1988 47   25 March 1988 6 June 1991 48 6 June 1991 3 July 1992 49 3 July 1992 4 April 1995 50   4 April 1995 28 June 2000 51 28 June 2000 2 April 2007 52 53   54 55 56 57   28 March 2023 incumbent

See also

List of New South Wales government agencies

References

External links NSW Department of Justice