Human rights chief is new Chancellor

The President of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, The Hon. John von Doussa QC, is the University of Adelaide's new Chancellor.

Mr von Doussa succeeds Mr Robert Champion de Crespigny AC, becoming the 14th Chancellor in the university's 130-year history. He assumed his new role on July 26.

"The University Council is delighted that Mr Von Doussa has accepted the position," Deputy Chancellor Mr Brian Croser said.

"He is highly regarded in the broader community given his current position and he joins an impressive list who have served in this role."

A University of Adelaide graduate, Mr von Doussa has served for 17 years as a judge, including the Supreme Court of South Australia (1986-1988) and the Federal Court of Australia (1988-2002). He is currently a judge on a part-time basis to the Supreme Court of Fiji and the Court of Appeal of Vanuatu.

Well known in business circles, he is a past president of the Australian Competition Tribunal and a Judge in the Industrial Relations Court of Australia.

The Adelaide-based Mr von Doussa, whose family has been a part of the Adelaide community since 1847, said he was looking forward not only to returning to his alma mater, but to serving one of the finest universities in Australia.

"This is a great honour and I am truly humbled by this appointment," Mr von Doussa said.

Mr de Crespigny announced in June this year his intention to hand over the reins after four years as Chancellor.

Mr Croser praised and thanked Mr de Crespigny for his outstanding contributions.

"We were extremely fortunate to have had Mr de Crespigny as our Chancellor. His outstanding business experience, his strong leadership and unique position within the community have been invaluable over the past four years.

"Mr de Crespigny not only strengthened the university's position in the city and state, but he added a new global dimension.

"In addition, he guided the university through the modernization of its Act, paved the way for the purchase of the National Wine Centre and the creation of the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics at the Waite Campus."

Story by Howard Salkow