Kemeri Anne MurrayAO (28 January 1932 – 2 August 2013) was an Australian lawyer and judge. She was the first woman appointed to the District Court of South Australia and the second female judge in the country. Upon her retirement in 2006, she was the country's longest serving judge.
Murray was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor in 1955 and became a partner at Giles, Magarey and Lloyd, making her the first married woman partner in a South Australian law firm.[2][4] She later said, "It was not easy – all sorts of questions were asked, such as when was I going to have children – which would not be asked today. Female practitioners had to prove themselves and I doubt if all were taken seriously."[3][5]
Murray was appointed as a judge of the District Court in 1973, making her the second female judge in Australia.[1][2] She was appointed to the Family Court of Australia upon its inception in 1976.[2][6]
Murray was appointed to the Advisory Council for Inter-Government Relations in 1978.[2] From 1982 until 1985 she chaired the South Australian Sex Discrimination Board.[2] She was alternate chair of the Media Council of Australia for the Alcoholic Beverages Advertising Code Council from 1995 to 1996.[2]
At the time of her retirement in December 2006, Murray was the country's longest serving judicial officer.[3][7] At her retirement ceremony she "delivered a broadside" at the government's recent law reforms, naming her concern in particular for victims of domestic violence.[8]
Murray, Kemeri (1979). "Family Conflict and the Rights of the Child—Statutory Recognition—Policy and Practice". Children Australia. 4 (4): 16–18. doi:10.1017/S0312897000016386. S2CID157010963.
Murray, Honourable Justice (December 1988). "The Impossible Dream-Family Integrity, Courts, Welfare, and Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse". Family Court Review. 26 (2): 1–7. doi:10.1111/j.174-1617.1988.tb01031.x.
