John McKechnie
John Roderick McKechnie KC (born 1 November 1950) is the Commissioner of the Corruption and Crime Commission of Western Australia. He is a former Justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia, the highest ranking court in the Australian State of Western Australia, and formerly served as the State's first Director of Public Prosecutions.
The Hon. John Roderick McKechnie | |
|---|---|
| Commissioner of the Corruption and Crime Commission | |
| In office 28 June 2021 – present 28 April 2015 – 28 April 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Roger Macknay QC |
| Judge, Supreme Court of Western Australia | |
| In office 2 March 1999 – 22 April 2015 | |
| Director of Public Prosecutions, Government of Western Australia | |
| In office December 1991 – 1 March 1999 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 November 1950 |
He attended Scotch College from 1963 until 1967, then graduated in law from the University of Western Australia in 1972. He then took articles with Jackson McDonald & Co, before joining the Crown Law Department. He became a Queen's Counsel in 1989, and then in December 1991 was appointed by the Government of Western Australia as the state's first Director of Public Prosecutions. During his eight-year term in this role, the department processed on average 2,500 prosecutions per year.
On 2 March 1999, he was sworn in as a justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia.[1]
He retired from the Supreme Court on 22 April 2015 to take up an appointment as the Commissioner of the Corruption and Crime Commission.[2]
Corruption and Crime Commissioner
On 28 April 2015, McKechnie was first appointed as the Commissioner of the Corruption and Crime Commission for a five-year term.[3][4] During his tenure, the Corruption and Crime Commission found that a State Parliamentarian had misused an electoral allowance.[5] McKechnie was involved in controversy following the expiration of his term as Commissioner on 25 April 2020, when his reappointment to the position was blocked by a bipartisan Parliamentary joint standing committee.[6][7] In June 2021, the Western Australian Parliament passed legislation reappointing McKechnie as Commissioner without requiring the agreement of the joint standing committee,[6] to take effect on 28 June 2021.[7]
References
- Supreme Court of Western Australia (25 February 1999). "New Judge Sworn In (media release)". Retrieved 10 May 2007.
- "Farewell to the Honourable Justice McKechnie" (PDF). SupremeCourt.wa.gov.au. 22 April 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
- "Supreme Court judge appointed to head WA corruption watchdog". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- "Government appoints new CCC Commissioner". Media Statements. Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 26 June 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- "Strippers, yachts and lunches with the 'Black Hand Gang' all part of MP's allowance 'abuse'". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 17 December 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- Hastie, Hamish (15 June 2021). "McKechnie's reappointment to CCC 'tainted' by efforts to get him there, opposition says". WAtoday. Nine Entertainment Co. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- "John McKechnie QC reappointed CCC Commissioner". Media Statements. Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 26 June 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
Further reading
- Milner, Greg (February 2003). "Judges and Magistrates of Western Australia - John McKechnie" (PDF). UWA Law Review. Nedlands, WA. 31 (1): 118–120. ISSN 0042-0328. Retrieved 10 May 2007.