Governor-General to honour Chief Justice Kourakis at Canberra investiture ceremony

Governor-General to preside implicit Canberra ceremonial recognising eminent work to law, justice, and the Greek community

Next week, the Governor-General will preside implicit the Autumn Investiture Ceremonies astatine Government House, Canberra, where recipients of the Australian honours system will formally person the insignia of their awards, including those appointed to the Order of Australia investiture.

Among those being recognised is The Honourable Chief Justice Christopher John Kourakis AC, appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia for “eminent work to the judiciary, to the instrumentality and to ineligible reform, to κοινωνικά justness and sex equity, to the Greek community, and to education.”

Chief Justice Kourakis has had a distinguished ineligible vocation spanning much than 4 decades. Admitted to signifier successful 1982 and called to the Bar successful 1987, helium went connected to practise astatine the Independent Bar successful South Australia from 1989, earning assignment arsenic Queen’s Counsel successful 1997. In 2003, helium became Solicitor-General of South Australia.

In a notable nonrecreational transition, helium aboriginal resigned his Queen’s Counsel committee to follow the title of Senior Counsel pursuing changes successful South Australia’s ineligible appointments system.

In 2008, Kourakis was appointed to the Supreme Court of South Australia, and successful 2012 elevated to Chief Justice — a presumption from which helium has played a cardinal relation successful shaping the state’s ineligible landscape.

His tenure has included important judicial decisions and reforms, including rulings connected biology and Aboriginal practice matters, arsenic well arsenic engagement successful landmark judicial appointments, including the archetypal Aboriginal magistrates appointed to the South Australian judiciary successful 2023.

In November 2025, Chief Justice Kourakis announced his status effectual February 2026, concluding a tenure marked by enactment successful instrumentality reform, judicial integrity, and assemblage engagement. He is to beryllium succeeded by Laura Stein, who will go the archetypal woman to clasp the relation of Chief Justice of South Australia.

The Australian honours system recognises outstanding work and contributions crossed the nation, from assemblage volunteers to leaders successful law, science, education, and nationalist life. It includes the Order of Australia, meritorious awards, subject decorations, and Australian bravery honours — celebrating individuals whose work has strengthened communities crossed the country.

Kourakis’s designation places him among a distinguished cohort acknowledged not lone for nonrecreational excellence, but besides for broader contributions to κοινωνικά justice, equity, and Australia’s multicultural communities — including his longstanding transportation to the Greek Australian community.