Australia’s new Chief Justice Chris Kourakis knows about hard work. He adopted a strong sense of social awareness and a hard work ethic from growing up on his parents’ farm, lessons he’s taken into his career.
“Lawyers and judges should realiz the purpose of the law is to make society function more effectively.We are there to make the wheels of the economy and society operate more smoothly and not come up with fancy legal things” he said in an interview in Neos Kosmos newspaper.
“My style is much more informal and more collaborative,” he said, speaking while wearing an open collar with no tie. Kourakis was bred with an awareness that has ensured his legal dealings have been influenced by this trait. He is loosening the formalities and making legal procedures easy for all to understand.
He said he sees law as an important piece of “social superstructure.” The law is well needed pretty much just as we need health or education. Lose faith in the very foundation of society and we are lost,” he said.
Born to Greek migrants, Kourakis grew up in the rural South Australian town of Port Lincoln as one of 10 children. “From my mother, I developed a social awareness perspective because of her political leanings and her involvement in the Communist Party in Greece. My father was a very stable influence; a serious man with a sense of humor outside of work, but a serious approach to his work,” he said.
He added: “I see my youth growing up in Port Lincoln as one of the big advantages I have, I can consider coming from a diverse cultural background to be a big advantage because it opens your eyes to the differences in people, you become a bit of a sociologist and understanding people is really an important part of being a good lawyer and a good judge.”
Kourakis tends to put more importance on the application of legal rules rather than the flexibility of the law. “In the end, judges have to make a judgement and someone is going to win and someone will lose, someone was right and someone was wrong and that’s the basis of it.”
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
