The Hon Austin Asche
I think it’s encouraging that our first State Constitution will be written by Territorians at the people’s convention.
Darwin has been a part of Austin Asche’s life more than 70 years. He first lived in Darwin as a child for a short time, before returning with the RAAF for two years between 1944 and 1946.
Following the war, he practised as a barrister in Queensland and Melbourne, and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1972. In 1976, he became a Judge of the Family Court of Australia, and was Acting Chief Judge from 1985 to 1986.
It was in 1986 that he returned to Darwin as a Judge of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory and in 1987 was appointed Chief Justice. In 1987, he was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Literature, by Deakin University – and in 1992 he was made a Fellow of the Australian College of Education. In 1994 he received an honorary degree of Doctor of Law from the Northern Territory University.
Austin Asche was appointed as the 15th Administrator of the Northern Territory on 1 March 1993 – a position he held until 16 February 1997. In addition, he held appointments as Chief Scout in the Northern Territory, Honorary Colonel of the North West Mobile Force, and Deputy Prior in the Northern Territory of Order of St John.
He was appointed a Knight of Grace of the order St John in 1993 and a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 1994 for service to the law, to tertiary education and to the community, particularly the people of the Northern Territory.
Austin Asche is a great believer in equality for Territorians and is sure that the Territory is destined to become Australia’s seventh state.
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