A business law forum hosted last week by Chabad of Melbourne CBD featured Raymond Finkelstein, the “independent and unpredictable” judge of the Federal Court of Australia.
He was welcomed by Melbourne CBD Shliach Rabbi Chaim Herzog. A full crowd came to hear the judge about ‘Ethical, Moral Issues and the Law-A Judges Perspective.’
Justice Finkelstein, President of the Australian Competition Tribunal, said judges play a much stronger role in the European Court System than they do in the Australian.
Finkelstein in the past stated that, while he opposes judges acting as “ad hoc legislators”, noting it was naive to think that a judge’s background, education, heritage and personal ethical views do not influence their decisions.
In his speech he also said lawyers are sometimes accused of bending the truth. “Don’t lie – just don’t emphasize it – perfectly legal,” he noted.
Another speaker was businessman Graeme Samuel, chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
