Australia now has its first female chief justice of the high court after Susan Kiefel was sworn in on Monday. Susan Kiefel becomes first woman appointed as high court chief justice Read moreKiefel was appointed to the court in 2007 after serving on the federal court since 1994. Kiefel noted the composition of the high court had changed – it now has three female justices including justices Virginia Bell and Michelle Gordon. Brandis remarked this may seem “an unpromising start for a future chief justice” but praised her “steely determination” as she completed secondary school at night. “The chief justices who have preceded me have been persons of the highest integrity and ability,” she said.

Source: The Guardian January 30, 2017 01:41 UTC