The ‘cultural norms’ that support judicial independence are ‘not immutable and cannot be taken for granted’, Lord Burnett, the Lord Chief Justice, has said.
‘At the present time we can see developing in some countries what appears to be a gentle erosion of support,’ he said.
Speaking at the Commonwealth Magistrates' and Judges' Association's annual conference in Brisbane, Australia, this week, Lord Burnett said: ‘We see judges being criticised because their decisions fail to match the popular mood… privacy injunctions being undermined by widespread publication on the Internet; and even Members of Parliament using, or abusing, parliamentary privilege to do so.
‘If we start to see more broadly a culture of non-compliance with court orders, we may see a culture of contempt for the judiciary, judicial independence and the rule of law develop.’
The conference included a meeting of Chief Justices, hosted by Chief Justice Catherine Holmes, Chief Justice of Queensland, and sessions on a range of justice topics.
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