Harry Gibbs was known as one of Australia's leading federalist judges although he presided over the High Court when decisions such as Koowarta v Bjelke-Petersen in 1982 and Commonwealth v Tasmania expanded the powers of the Commonwealth at the expense of the states.
24 Facts About Harry Gibbs
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Harry Gibbs graduated from the latter with a Bachelor of Arts with honours in 1937 and a Bachelor of Laws in 1939.
3.
Harry Gibbs married Muriel Dunn in 1944 and the couple had three daughters and a son.
4.
Harry Gibbs's younger brother Wylie Gibbs was a federal Liberal MP in the 1960s.
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Harry Gibbs returned to the practice of law following the war and was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1957, while lecturing in law at the University of Queensland.
6.
Harry Gibbs served as a judge on the Supreme Court of Queensland from 8 June 1961 until 24 June 1967.
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Harry Gibbs was the first law graduate of the University of Queensland to join that Court.
8.
In 1963, Harry Gibbs was appointed Chair of the Supreme Court of Queensland Library Committee and held the position until 1967.
9.
In 1967 Harry Gibbs was appointed to the Federal Court of Bankruptcy and the ACT Supreme Court.
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Harry Gibbs was appointed as a judge at a relatively early age of 44 due to his reputation at the bar.
11.
Critics such as Evan Whitton and Richard Ackland claim that Harry Gibbs inappropriately followed the hearsay rules, excluding a great deal of evidence despite the fact that Royal Commissioners are not bound to follow such rules.
12.
Harry Gibbs chaired a committee of inquiry into the expansion of the Australian sugar industry.
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In 1970, Harry Gibbs joined the High Court of Australia replacing Sir Frank Kitto.
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Harry Gibbs was part of a 6:1 majority in the DOGS Case in 1981, which found that the Commonwealth could provide financial assistance to non-Government schools.
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In 1981, Harry Gibbs was appointed Chief Justice after the retirement of Sir Garfield Barwick.
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Harry Gibbs dissented, finding that the Commonwealth might have such powers only in relationships with other nations and only if the treaty arranged with other nations was "international in character".
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Harry Gibbs again dissented, finding that the use of the external affairs power should be limited by the status of Australia as a federation and if the Commonwealth was granted too much power under section 51 of the Australian Constitution, it would upset the "Federal balance".
18.
Harry Gibbs left the High Court of Australia upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.
19.
Harry Gibbs was widely regarded as a healer after Sir Garfield Barwick's controversial stint as Chief Justice.
20.
Harry Gibbs was the Chairman of the Parliamentary Judges Commission in 1989 resulting from the removal of Justice Angelo Vasta from the Queensland Supreme Court.
21.
Harry Gibbs was Vice-President of the Kiribati Court of Appeal between 1988 and 1999 and the Review of Commonwealth Criminal Law between 1987 and 1991.
22.
Harry Gibbs' death was announced only after his cremation had taken place, in Sydney on 28 June 2005.
23.
Harry Gibbs had, before his death, forbidden the convening of a state funeral in his honour.
24.
Harry Gibbs was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 22 September 1970.