While recognising the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia’s vital work, Her Honour Judge Kara Best revealed she is saddened by its necessity.
Appointed to Division 2 in September after serving as a Senior Judicial Registrar since 2021, Her Honour was welcomed in a ceremonial sitting in Brisbane yesterday, 17 November.
“I am enormously grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the important work of this court and to be amongst a remarkably collegiate profession in doing so,” Her Honour said.
“My first commitment is to do my very best to remember what it takes to get to your feet in this court particularly in the context of a myriad of clients, billable hours, staff and personal lives.
“I deeply value the work of this court and whilst I’m saddened for the need of it, we do such important work.
“The cultural transformation of this court in recent years, and particularly the work we have done in relation to the identification of risk, and the acknowledgment of trauma and its effect on children and adults has been deeply empowering and rewarding.”
Her Honour particularly thanked the Federal Attorney-General Michelle Rowland for the opportunity to do “this work” and her support of Lighthouse and Evatt. Judge Best was one of six recent judicial appointments made to Division 2 – five of whom were sitting as Senior Judicial Registrars.
Judge Best said she learned a lot from the families she encountered in court.
“Often I agree they are at their most vulnerable and desperate,” she said. “I’ve got an abiding view that parents love their children. They just sometimes lose focus when they are blinded by conflict and by the implications of the trauma which they have endured.
“It is a great privilege to share space with adults in this process, and there’s enormous potential I believe to do good work and materially impact the trajectory of a family unit and children.”
Her Honour paid tribute to registrars, their leaders and her Senior Registrar colleagues “in the trenches” and the broader national cohort.
“I thank you for your friendship, your practical support, and the moral support which has been oxygen to me often on a difficult day.”
Judge Best was admitted to practice in 2001 as a barrister and then as a solicitor in 2004. She was one of the founding partners of Best Wilson Buckley in 2009 and was an Accredited Specialist for more than 14 years.
Judge Best said she had only ever known the Queensland family law community to be “collegiate, collaborative and kind”.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of legal practice has been the opportunity to work with some exceptional lawyers, but also I say, exceptional people who support those lawyers and who remain my friends today,” she said.
“I have been so grateful for the opportunity to nurture, and to be nurtured, by the most phenomenal teams at various times. Thank you to those who worked within Best Wilson Buckley who are here today.”
And although well-known in family law circles, she shared her first experience of appearing in this Court before Justice Brian Jordan.
“Having the spent time I had in chambers, when His Honour called upon me with a wry smile and said ‘who do we have here?’
“I answered ‘Judge it’s me Kara’. His Honour snorted and invited me to announce my appearance formally.”
Queensland Law Society Genevieve Dee welcomed Judge Best’s advancement to the bench saying it was “never a matter of conjecture, but of inevitability – a question not of possibility, but of time”.
“It is perhaps both fitting and inspiring that Your Honour bears the name of Best – a name that quietly reflects the calibre of her service to the law,” Genevieve said.
“It is the experience of practitioners who appear before you, that in every courtroom you enter and, in every judgement you deliver, you exemplify the highest standards of fairness, intellect, and integrity.
“Your Honour’s name is not merely a title – it is a testament to the excellence you will bring to the bench.”
Genevieve said Her Honour was known in the profession as a “highly intelligent jurist with a superhuman capacity for hard work”.
“As we have heard this morning, Your Honour was first admitted as a barrister in 2001, and then perhaps showing the same impeccable judgment that has resulted in your elevation to the bench – you saw the light and joined the ranks of the solicitors in 2004,” she said.
“Proof, that even early in your career you exercised profound good judgment.
“When I reached out to our members to share their well wishes for you, I received an avalanche of accolades.
“The constant theme being that Your Honour has always been a pleasure to work with and to appear before after your appointment as a Senior Judicial Registrar of this court.
“It was noted in particular that you approach working with self-represented litigants with kindness and ease – an attribute that will continue to earn you the respect of those who appear before you in this new role.”
The Society President said QLS was “deeply honoured” to have had Her Honour volunteer her time on both the Accredited Specialist and Legal Policy Committees of the Law Society.
“Your Honour’s distinguished service to the law, your unwavering commitment to excellence, and your deep understanding of legal policy and practice brought invaluable insight to the work of our committees,” she said.
“Your involvement reflects the high regard in which those committees are held and reinforces the Society’s dedication to upholding the integrity and advancement of the profession.
“Your Honour, the trust conferred upon you by this appointment is both an affirmation of your exemplary service and a solemn charge. We are confident you will discharge your duties with discernment, impartiality, and honour.”
Chief Justice the Honourable William Alstergren AO said the court welcomed “such an experienced and diligent judge on the bench”.
“You only have to look at the faces of your colleagues to see how pleased they are, including those on video link across Australia,” His Honour said.
“The experience will serve you well in the busy Brisbane registry and has ensured that you will be able to hit the ground running already.
“Your Honour is well aware of the families in this regard that require your fair judgement, and expertise. They also require your care, your attention and your compassion. I have no doubt this will always be at the front of your mind.”
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