Launceston lawyer Shaun McElwaine SC appointed as Federal Court judge

The appointment of Shaun McElwaine SC meant a Federal Court of Australia Justice would be permanently situated in Tasmania, and came about four months after the Court in the North-West was forced to move because of a lack of sitting options.

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Justice McElwaine's appointment also came amid his involvement in the controversial Lake Malbena development case that garnered national attention, and forced him to withdraw as counsel for the development's proponent, Wild Drake.

In late November, Justice McElwaine earned a victory in one of his final cases which foiled the plans of the City of Launceston Council and developer Creative Property Holdings to build a bus interchange at the Birchalls car park site.

Justice McElwaine was first admitted as a barrister and solicitor in the Supreme Court of Tasmania in 1987, four years after he completed a Bachelor of Laws at the University of NSW and three years after he attained his Graduate Certificate in Legal Practice from the Australian National University.

He was appointed as Senior Counsel on May 8, 2013.

Justice McElwaine was expected to commence his role on January 24, and will fill a role left vacant by the retirement of Honourable Justice Duncan Kerr Chev LH.

He lists skiing, mountain biking, swimming, architecture and urban design as his personal interests and pursuits.

A joint release from Federal Attorney-General Michaelia Cash and Liberal Senators Richard Colbeck, Jonno Duniam, Eric Abetz, Wendy Askew and Claire Chandler described how his appointment was part of a funding package aimed at keeping a "permanent judicial presence" in Tasmania.

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