InBrief

The 2015 Bench and Bar Dinner is just days away. This year's guest of honour is the Hon Justice M J Beazley AO, president of the Court of Appeal. Did you know that among previous guests of honour were the Hon E Gough Whitlam QC, prime minister of Australia (1973); the Hon R W Askin, premier and treasurer of New South Wales (1967); and J R Kerr QC CMG (1966)?

The full list is as follows:

• 2014 The Hon J L B Allsop AO, chief justice of the Federal Court of Australia
• 2013 The Hon Justice Stephen Gageler
• 2012 The Hon Tom Bathurst, chief justice of New South Wales
• 2011 The Hon Patrick Keane, chief justice of the Federal Court of Australia
• 2010 The Hon Justice Virginia Bell
• 2009 The Hon Robert French, chief justice of the High Court of Australia
• 2008 The Hon Justice Susan Kiefel
• 2007 The Hon Michael McHugh AC QC
• 2006 The Hon Justice Susan Crennan
• 2005 The Hon Justice Diana Bryant
• 2004 The Hon Roderick P Meagher QC
• 2003 The Hon Justice J Dyson Heydon
• 2002 The Hon Murray Gleeson AC, chief justice of the High Court Australia
• 2001 The Hon Bob Debus MP, attorney general of New South Wales
• 2000 The Hon Justice Keith Mason, president of the Court of Appeal
• 1999 The Hon James Spigelman QC, chief justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales
• 1998 The Hon Justice Mary Gaudron
• 1997 The Hon Sir Gerard Brennan AC KBE, chief justice of the High Court Australia
• 1996 The Hon Justice William Gummow
• 1995 The Hon Sir Anthony Mason AC KBE CBE
• 1994 Sir Maurice Byers Kt CBE
• 1993 The Hon Justice Michael Kirby AC CMG
• 1992 The Hon Justice Gordon Samuels AC
• 1991 The Hon Sir Nigel Bowen AC KBE QC
• 1990 The Hon Lionel Bowen, attorney-general of the Commonwealth of Australia
• 1989 The Hon AM Gleeson AO, chief justice of New South Wales
• 1988 The Hon John Dowd, attorney general of New South Wales
• 1987 The Hon Sir Anthony Mason KBE CBE, chief justice of the High Court Australia
• 1986 The Hon Terence Sheahan, attorney general of New South Wales
• 1985 Dame Leonie Kramer DBE OBE
• 1984 The Hon Justice Athol Moffit CMG
• 1983 The Hon Sir William Deane KBE
• 1982 The Hon Sir Harry Gibbs GCMG KBE, chief justice of the High Court Australia
• 1981 The Hon Neville Wran QC, premier of New South Wales
• 1980 The Rt Hon Sir Ninian Stephen PC KBE
• 1979 His Excellency Sir Zelman Cowen AK GCMG GCVO KStJ CMG, governor-general of Australia.
• 1978 No guest of honour recorded.
• 1977 The Hon Frank Walker, attorney general of New South Wales
• 1976 The Hon Robert Ellicott QC, attorney-general of Commonwealth of Australia
• 1975 The Hon J C Maddison, attorney general of New South Wales
• 1974 The Hon Justice Laurence Street, chief justice of New South Wales
• 1973 The Hon E Gough Whitlam QC, prime minister of Australia
• 1972 No guest of honour recorded.
• 1971 The Hon Kenneth McCaw QC, attorney general of New South Wales
• 1970 Sir Arthur Tange Kt CBE, secretary, Department of Defence.
• 1969 His Excellency Sir Roden Cutler VC KCMG, governor of New South Wales
• 1968 The Hon E Gough Whitlam QC, leader of the federal Opposition
• 1967 The Hon R W Askin, premier and treasurer of New South Wales,
• 1966 J R Kerr QC CMG, president of the Law Council of Australia
• 1965 The Hon Billy Snedden QC, attorney-general for the Commonwealth of Australia
• 1964 No guest of honour recorded.
• 1963 The Hon Justice Herron, chief justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales
• 1962 His Excellency Lieutenant-General Sir Eric Woodward KCMG CB CBE DSO KStJ, governor of New South Wales
• 1961 The Rt Hon Sir Owen Dixon PC GCMG KCMG, chief justice of the High Court of Australia
• 1960 The Hon Sir Garfield Barwick Kt, attorney general for the Commonwealth of Australia; the Hon Robert Downing, attorney-general of New South Wales
• 1959 The Hon Sir Kenneth Street KCMG KStJ, chief justice of New South Wales
• 1958 The Hon Mr Justice Windeyer CB CBE DSO ED
• 1957 The Hon Sir William Owen KBE, justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales
• 1956 The Hon Sir Kenneth Street KCMG KStJ, chief justice of New South Wales.
• 1955 The Hon Sir Kenneth Street KStJ, chief justice of New South Wales.
• 1954 The Hon Justice Ligertwood, justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia.