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Ian Cunliffe has had a long career as a solicitor in private practice and a senior federal public servant. He is also a prolific author on political and social issues. He has been a partner of some of Australia’s largest legal firms, including those now called Norton Rose and Ashursts; and also practised under his own name. Ian was the Associate to Sir Cyril Walsh at the High Court of Australia and was articled at Allen, Allen & Hemsley, which was then Australia’s largest law firm. Other distinguished career highlights include:
Ian is a member of the Advisory Board to Melbourne University's Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies and various other boards and executive committees. For over twelve years, he has conducted a very busy, free legal service - the Carlton Legal Service - at the Carlton Public Housing Estate in Melbourne. He continues to do so, and also to practise law in his own name. Ian holds degrees in Arts and Law (Honours) from the Australian National University. On graduation, he was awarded the University’s highest award, the Tillyard Prize. Ian was the lead litigant in the very important case which established that Australians have the right to make representations to Government, Cunliffe v The Commonwealth (1994) 182 CLR 272. |
Australian Constitutional Commission
Ian Cunliffe, Chief Executive of the Australian Constitutional Commission, at its final meeting, June 1988. The Commission members, all pictured with Ian, are Sir Maurice Byers, Gough Whitlam, Sir Rupert Hamer, Professors Enid Campbell and Leslie Zines.
Australian Law Reform Commission
The pictured alumni at the 40th ALRC dinner in 2015 include Justices Michael Kirby, Chief Justices Robert French, Gerard Brennan, Elizabeth Evatt, Justices Murray Wilcox, Bruce Debelle and John Basten, and Messrs John Cain and Gareth Evans.
Justice Michael Kirby was the ALRC’ first President. He spoke at the fortieth anniversary dinner to an audience which included then Commonwealth Attorney General, George Brandis. Justice Kirby said:
"The commission has had a wonderful team of employees, consultants, colleagues and volunteers right from the start. Some of them came in as junior members of the legal profession. Now they are often judges or distinguished silks and in academic life throughout our country. I would like to acknowledge the presence here of Ian Cunliffe who was the second Secretary and Director of Research. He was preceded by George Brouwer, later the head of the Premier and Cabinet Department in Victoria and Ombudsman; the long-serving Ombudsman of Victoria. The secretaries and the officers of the Commission have all been wonderful servants of the Commonwealth.
I acknowledge their part too."
"The commission has had a wonderful team of employees, consultants, colleagues and volunteers right from the start. Some of them came in as junior members of the legal profession. Now they are often judges or distinguished silks and in academic life throughout our country. I would like to acknowledge the presence here of Ian Cunliffe who was the second Secretary and Director of Research. He was preceded by George Brouwer, later the head of the Premier and Cabinet Department in Victoria and Ombudsman; the long-serving Ombudsman of Victoria. The secretaries and the officers of the Commission have all been wonderful servants of the Commonwealth.
I acknowledge their part too."
