Appointment of Commissioner for the commission to conduct an inquiry into doubts or questions as to the guilt or evidence in the trial leading to the conviction of Alice Lynne Chamberlain (Cth)

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

ELIZABETH THE SECOND, by the Grace of God Queen of Australia and Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth:

TO:

THE HONOURABLE TREVOR REES MORLING

GREETING:

WHEREAS -

(a) on 29 October 1982, in the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory -

(i) Alice Lynne Chamberlain was convicted on a charge of murdering her daughter Azaria at Ayers Rock on 17 August 1980; and

(ii) Michael Leigh Chamberlain was convicted of being an accessory after the fact to that murder; and

(b) doubts or questions have arisen as to their guilt or as to evidence in the trial leading to their conviction:

NOW THEREFORE We do, by these Our Letters Patent issued in Our name by Our Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia on the advice of the Federal Executive Council and pursuant to the Royal Commissions Act 1902 and every other enabling power, appoint you to be a Commissioner to inquire into the following matters, namely, the matters set forth in paragraph (b) of the preamble to these Our Letters Patent:

AND We direct that, in determining the nature and the scope of your inquiry in accordance with these Our Letters Patent, you be guided by the meaning given to like terms in sub-section 475 (1) of the Crimes Act, 1900 of the State of New South Wales:

AND We declare that you are authorised to conduct your inquiry into the matters mentioned aforesaid under these Our Letters Patent in combination with the inquiry that you have been directed or authorised to make pursuant to the appointment by the Attorney-General of the Northern Territory under section 3 of the Commission of Inquiry (Chamberlain Convictions) Act 1986 of that Territory constituting you to be the Commission of Inquiry established under sub-section 3 (1) of that Act: