Roma Mitchell

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Australian English Template:Infobox governor Roma Alma Flinders Mitchell (2 October 1913 – 5 March 2000) was an Australian barrister and lawyer. She became Australia's first female judge, the first woman appointed Queen's Counsel (QC) in 1962, the first female chancellor of an Australian university from 1983 to 1990, and the first woman to serve as governor of an Australian state from 1991 to 1996.

Mitchell was born on 2 October 1913 in North Adelaide, the youngest daughter of solicitor Harold Flinders Mitchell and Maude Imelda Mitchell. After her father's death in World War I, she was raised by her mother and excelled academically at St Aloysius College, becoming dux and achieving top marks in French and Latin. In 1931, she entered the University of Adelaide's law school, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws in 1934. During her studies, she co-founded the Women's Law Students' Club and received the David Murray Fellowship for her academic excellence.

Mitchell was admitted to the bar in 1934 and began her legal career at Rollison & Rollison, quickly rising to partner. She was a pioneering advocate for women's rights, campaigning for equal custody, equal pay, and the inclusion of women on juries in South Australia. In 1962, she became Australia's first female QC and in 1965 the country's first woman judge. She chaired key legal reform committees, contributed to criminal law and penal reform, and led the Royal Commission on Police Dismissal in 1978. Mitchell also served in academic and human rights roles, including deputy chancellor of the University of Adelaide, and later chair of the Australian Human Rights Commission, addressing issues from discrimination to Indigenous rights.

In 1983, Mitchell served briefly as South Australia's first female acting Chief Justice before retiring from the judiciary. She remained active in public life, serving as chancellor of the University of Adelaide from 1983 to 1990 and conducting inquiries on human rights and social justice. In 1991, she became Australia's first female state governor, holding the vice-regal office until 1996 and promoting gender equality, education, and community engagement. Mitchell continued her advocacy through campaigns, boards, and foundations, attending constitutional conventions and supporting Indigenous and women's rights. She died from bone cancer on 5 March 2000, and her state funeral was attended by hundreds.

Early life and education

Roma Alma Flinders Mitchell was born on 2 October 1913 at Quambi Nursing Home on Pennington Terrace, North Adelaide,Template:Sfn the second daughter and youngest child of Harold Flinders Mitchell, a solicitor, and his wife Maude Imelda, née Wickham. Her father was killed in battle in France in April 1918 while serving with the First Australian Imperial Force, leaving Maude to raise their two daughters.<ref name=":0">Template:Citation</ref> His death placed financial strain on the family, as her untrained mother struggled to support her children.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After Mitchell's birth, the family lived in Renmark on the River Murray before returning to North Adelaide,Template:Sfn where they resided on Hill Street across the Adelaide Park Lands from Medindie.Template:Sfn

Mitchell was educated at St Aloysius College from 1920 to 1930. Her mother had withdrawn her and her sister from St Dominic's Priory School and enrolled them at St Aloysius. The family later moved to Kyre Avenue, Kingswood, near the foothills of the Mount Lofty Ranges.Template:Sfn Taught to read at home before starting school,Template:Sfn Mitchell excelled academically, becoming dux of her school in 1928 and 1929, and placing first in South Australia in French in 1929 and Latin in 1930, after repeating her final year, as her mother considered her too young to attend university.Template:Sfn In 1931 she entered the University of Adelaide's law school,Template:Sfn graduating with a Bachelor of Laws in December 1934.<ref name=":6">Template:Cite web</ref> During her studies, she co-founded the Women's Law Students' Club after being excluded from the all-male Law Students' Society, serving as its secretary in 1934 and winning its debate award in 1933 and 1934. She was awarded the David Murray Fellowship in recognition of her academic distinction.<ref name=":0" />

Legal career

Early career (1935–1962)

File:Roma Mitchell and her sister Ruth, c.1936.jpg

Roma and Ruth Mitchell, presumably in Adelaide, Template:Circa

Mitchell was admitted to the bar in 1934<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and formally admitted as a barrister and lawyer by the Supreme Court of South Australia in February 1935,<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":7">Template:Cite web</ref> three days after completing her studies. She began her articles of clerkship with Rollison & Rollison, assisted by her uncle, lawyer Frank Villeneuve Smith, but later moved to a larger firm that could hire a professional solicitor. Four months after joining, she was promoted to partner at the firm, which became Nelligan, Angas Parsons & Mitchell.<ref name=":0" /> She was also active in campaigns, including the 1940 fight for equal custody rights, which held that a mother should have the same authority over children as the father. Equal pay for equal effort was another cause she supported.<ref name=":7" />

File:Portrait of Dame Roma Mitchell, c.1954.jpg

Portrait of Mitchell, Template:Circa

Early in her legal career, Mitchell undertook little work in the criminal division, believing that, as a woman in a predominantly male court, she might be perceived as an oddity, potentially disadvantaging her clients. She led initiatives through the National Council of Women and the League of Women Voters and handled domestic violence cases decisively, as recalled by Len King, who was articled to her in 1948–49.<ref name=":0" /> In 1951, she and lawyer Sesca Zelling defied a male-only directive to attend the jubilee supper at the federal legal conference in Sydney.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> Mitchell was elected to the Law Society of South Australia's council in 1952 and joined its legal assistance committee, contributing to systems later influential in Britain after presenting the South Australian programme at the 1954 Commonwealth and Empire Law Conference in London. In 1958, she became the first part-time family law instructor at the University of Adelaide,<ref name=":0" /> where she mentored students including Margaret Nyland.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":7" />

In 1960, Mitchell led a renewed and ultimately successful campaign to allow women in South Australia to serve on juries. In 1962, she led a final deputation representing seven women's organisations to Premier Thomas Playford IV, carefully presenting arguments in favour of women's inclusion. She highlighted the issue of unequal pay for government employees and argued that women jurors could assess certain witnesses, particularly in sex crime cases, with greater objectivity. Her efforts led to Playford's agreement to permit women jurors, a reform implemented three years later.<ref name=":7" />

Queen's Counsel (1962–1978)

On 20 September 1962, Mitchell became the first woman in Australia appointed Queen's Counsel and established a law firm with David Haese and Doreen Curnow, later joined by Ted Mullighan, increasingly taking on court work for women affected by domestic violence, deserted wives, and those without means of support. She was appointed vice-president of the Law Council of Australia in 1963 and was expected to become its first female president. In 1965, however, attorney-general Don Dunstan offered her a position on the South Australian Supreme Court,<ref name=":0" /> and on 23 September 1965, Roma Mitchell became Australia’s first woman judge.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Although she later described judicial life as offering "no excitement," she accepted the appointment out of a sense of moral obligation and a belief that she owed it to women. Her appointment attracted public attention, including debate over forms of address, and she received 482 letters and telegrams of congratulation. Mitchell took her seat on the Full Court on 27 September 1965, delivering remarks referencing President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address, and worked across criminal and civil jurisdictions at both first instance and appellate levels, writing judgments promptly.<ref name=":0" /> In the same year, she became a member of the University of Adelaide council.<ref name=":4">Template:Cite web</ref>

From 1971 to 1977, Mitchell chaired the Criminal Law and Penal Methods Reform Committee of South Australia, later known as the Mitchell Committee,Template:Sfn which issued five reports containing 907 recommendations. The committee advocated for judges and magistrates to retain responsibility for sentencing rather than leaving it to legislation, and emphasised the need for jurists and police to be better informed on criminology and correctional systems. Its 1973 report addressed the neglect and mistreatment of Aboriginal peoples, recommending the abolition of minor offences, establishment of detoxification centres, and replacement of short-term imprisonment with supervised prohibition, as well as improved care for inmates. The 1977 report on rape recommended that husbands be indictable for the rape of a wife in cases of separation, and highlighted the outdated assumption that a wife must submit to intercourse regardless of her wishes. Mitchell also delivered the Sir John Morris memorial lecture in 1971 on "Women's Liberation and the Law" and in 1975 became the first woman to present the Australian Broadcasting Commission Boyer lectures, titled The Web of Criminal Law, presenting key aspects of the committee's work to a national audience.<ref name=":0" />

In 1978, Mitchell was appointed to lead the Royal Commission on Dismissal from the Office of the Commissioner of Police, known as the Salisbury Commission, to determine whether Commissioner Harold Salisbury had misled the government, whether his dismissal was justified, and whether the Crown's prerogative to dismiss the commissioner required modification. She submitted her report on 30 May 1978, affirming all three points and demonstrating her capacity to manage complex and politically sensitive matters.<ref name=":0" /> That same year, she became chairman of the South Australian State Heritage Committee,Template:Sfn and from 1974 to 1981, she served as chair of the parole board.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Earlier, in 1972, she had been appointed the first woman deputy chancellor of the University of Adelaide,<ref name=":8">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":5">Template:Cite news</ref> a position she held until her later elevation to chancellor.<ref name=":4" />

Australian Human Rights Commission (1981–1983)

In 1981, Mitchell, together with lifelong friends Jean and Billie Whyte, purchased land at Carrickalinga and built a kit house as a retreat, while also assisting with Meals on Wheels by delivering lunches to frail aged residents.<ref name=":0" /> That year, she joined the council for the Order of Australia, serving until 1990,Template:Sfn and in December 1981 was appointed chair of the newly established Australian Human Rights Commission, a part-time role she held until 1986<ref name=":0" /> under the Fraser government.Template:Sfn The commission brought together representatives from across the states to address complaints concerning women, Indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities, focusing on inquiry, conciliation, and education rather than prosecution. Mitchell addressed issues of racial intolerance, particularly in Western Australia and the Northern Territory, and contributed to developing distinctions in the treatment of mental illness and intellectual disability. The commission supported the sex discrimination bill introduced by Susan Ryan in 1983 and responded to opposition to immigration following public commentary by historian Geoffrey Blainey.<ref name=":0" />

Later life and death

In 1983, Mitchell served a few months as the first woman acting Chief Justice of South Australia and,<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":5" /> as a resident appeal court judge, worked alongside colleagues including Harry Gibbs;Template:Sfn on 28 September, King spoke at a special session of the South Australian Supreme Court to mark her departure from the bench.Template:Sfn She retired from the judiciary that year,Template:Sfn having faced eleven unsuccessful attempts at appointment to the High Court of Australia,<ref name=":0" /> and in retirement remained active in public life, contributing to organisations such as the Ryder-Cheshire Foundation, the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, and the University of Adelaide, where she served as chancellor from 1983 to 1990,Template:Efn<ref name=":0" /> succeeding John Jefferson Bray and beginning a second five-year term in 1988 before resigning upon her appointment as governor.<ref name=":4" /> Between 1984 and 1986, during the Hawke government,Template:Sfn she conducted a judicial inquiry with royal commission powers to determine compensation for Greek migrants wrongly accused of social security fraud, and the Human Rights Commission she had chaired was subsequently replaced by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission with an expanded mandate.<ref name=":0" />

File:Adelaide StFrancisXavierCathedral.JPG

St Francis Xavier's Cathedral in 2012

Appointed by John Bannon's government, Mitchell became governor of South Australia on 6 February 1991, making her the first woman in Australia to hold a vice-regal office.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> On 18 April 1991, she ceremoniously granted the University of South Australia's charter.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In her 1993 Phillip Hughes Oration in Hobart, Mitchell reflected on the prejudice she and her contemporaries faced as women in their professions, advocating for affirmative action to prevent gender-based detriment rather than to give women preference over men.<ref name=":8" /> In 1994, she served as patron for the centennial celebration of women’s suffrage in South Australia.<ref name=":7" /> On 13 January 1996, she opened the rebuilt Beacon Hill Lookout in Robe as part of the town's sesquicentenary celebrations, and in April she toured the Clare Valley with Governor-General William Deane on his first official engagements outside Canberra.<ref name=":9">Template:Cite web</ref> That same year, and until her death,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> she also chaired the South Australian Ministerial Board on Ageing. On 11 July 1996, she took part in the dedication service for the St Francis Xavier's Cathedral.<ref name=":9" /> She completed her tenure as governor on 21 July 1996 and was succeeded by Eric Neal the following day.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In 1997, Mitchell supported the Women for Wik campaign to endorse the High Court's decision on Wik.<ref name=":9" /> In 1998, she attended the constitutional convention in Canberra on behalf of South Australia.Template:Sfn<ref name=":5" /> Mitchell was also one of the original trustees of the Don Dunstan Foundation. She visited Glenelg in October 1999 to commission the Australian Customs Vessel (ACV) Holdfast Bay. She presided over a debate at the University of Adelaide two months later titled "That Ideology Is Dead."<ref name=":9" />

Mitchell died from bone cancer on 5 March 2000<ref name=":3">Template:Cite web</ref> at St Andrew's Hospital, Adelaide, and was cremated. Her state funeral at St Francis Xavier's Cathedral attracted hundreds of attendees, with additional spectators accommodated in marquees outside.<ref name=":0" /> It was one of the largest funerals ever held at the Cathedral and was broadcast on television.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Speakers included senior figures from the Catholic and Anglican churches, the Salvation Army, and the Lutheran church.<ref name=":0" /> Tributes poured in from political leaders,Template:Efn colleagues, the media, and community groups, praising her intellect, integrity, compassion, and lifelong commitment to justice and equality. Bannon highlighted her leadership in social reform; Neal lauded her wisdom, dignity, and humanity; and Archbishop Leonard Faulkner commended her deep faith and moral example. The Australian described her as "a compassionate beacon for justice," while the Aboriginal community remembered her as "a legend in her own lifetime."Template:Sfn

Personal life

Mitchell was a fourth-generation South Australian.<ref name=":5" /> Her grandfather, Samuel James Mitchell, had served as a Northern Territory government resident and a judge in South Australia.<ref name=":5" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She maintained a close relationship with her mother and remained in mourning following her death in 1938. Mitchell's Catholic and Irish working-class heritage contrasted with her attainment of senior positions in a predominantly Protestant establishment, and she valued her imperial honours.<ref name=":0" />

Honours and legacy

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Statue of Mitchell on North Terrace, Adelaide, 24 October 2025

Mitchell was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1971 Birthday Honours on 12 June for service to law<ref name="Australia">Template:London Gazette</ref> and was elevated to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 1982 Birthday Honours for service to the community.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> She received a Doctor of the University degree in 1985 for her service to the University of Adelaide<ref name=":4" /> and was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) during the 1991 Australia Day Honours for her contributions to law, learning, and the community.<ref>Template:Cite It's an Honour</ref> Mitchell was awarded the Key to the City by the City of Adelaide in 1996<ref name=":2" /> and the Legion of Honour by the French government on 10 April 1997.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A statue by Janette Moore, unveiled by William Deane in June 1999 in Prince Henry Gardens outside Government House,<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /> depicts Mitchell seated informally and reading, an image Deane said evoked her presence in the nearby gardens, with an inscription recording her career.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Mitchell was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in the 2000 New Year Honours on 1 January; as her health deteriorated, Deane personally bestowed the honour at her bedside.<ref name="The Age">Template:Cite news</ref> Following her death, she left a bequest to the University of Adelaide, which established the Dame Roma Mitchell Chair of Law, and she was also a founding member of the university's Graduates Union.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Roma Mitchell Chambers, opened on 7 December 2000, were named in her honour, with Gerard Brennan highlighting her achievements, independence, and lifelong public and private service,<ref name=":5"/> and she was posthumously inducted onto the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2001.<ref name=":3" /> Roma Mitchell Secondary College, created in 2006 from the merger of four schools at Gepps Cross, was named in consultation with the community to honour her legacy.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The A$96 million Roma Mitchell Commonwealth Law Court Building, designed by Mariano Deuonni of Hassell and opened in February 2006, houses the Federal, Family, and Federal Magistrates courts and accommodates the High Court when visiting the state.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Additionally, the ACV Dame Roma Mitchell, a Template:Sclass, was commissioned in December 2000 and completed its final patrol before decommissioning in December 2014.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

See also

• First women lawyers around the world

References

• Template:Cite journal
• Template:Cite book

External links

• Template:Australian Women's Register
• Template:Australian Women and Leadership