High Court chief justice Stephen Gageler tore strips off Justice Simon Steward this week — and it’s been a long time coming.
Gageler is sick of Steward’s campaign against the implied freedom of political communication and says his colleague should stop hawking for its demise.
In one of the more remarkable judgements by a chief justice in the past 20 years, Gageler accused Steward of lacking respect for the court and its judges in his decision on the legality of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) administration in 2024.
All seven justices — in seven separate judgements — dismissed every argument made by the CFMEU, including the claim that the laws were an "impermissible burden" on the implied freedom to communicate on political issues.
