Tasmania’s Attorney-General will move that Justice Geason be suspended when Parliament reconvenes next week.
Supreme Court Judge Gregory Geason was charged with assault and emotional abuse last Friday and under current legislation, can’t be stood down easily.
Justice Gregory Geason has been on leave since early November and is currently awaiting his next court appearance in February.
The Attorney-General has announced that plans for the inquiry legislation would be shelved and instead parliament will vote on whether to suspend Geason “in light of the seriousness of the charges” he is facing.
“Following consultation, the Attorney General has agreed to instead move a motion in both Houses of Parliament on 12 December 2023 calling on her Excellency the Governor to suspend Justice Gregory Geason under the Supreme Court (Judges’ Independence) Act 1857,” the State Government said in a statement.
“The Government will continue to develop a Bill to ensure that a mechanism to assist Parliament and the Governor to consider the serious matter of the fitness for office of a Judge of the Supreme Court can be brought before Parliament at an appropriate time in the future.”
Labor’s Shadow Attorney-General Ella Haddad MP supports the “entirely reasonable” motion to be brought forward next week.
“The family violence criminal charges Justice Geason is facing are serious and it is entirely reasonable for him to be stood down on administrative leave while the case progresses through the Magistrates Court,” she said.
“Labor calls on the Government to ensure that an interstate Magistrate be brought in to hear the family violence charges.”
“This is not a criticism of Tasmania’s Magistrates, rather recognition that we have a small legal profession here and it is vital that no conflicts of interest affect the case in any way.”
“Justice Geason and the complainant are entitled to have the case heard and for justice to take its course.”
