Roma Mitchell
Roma Mitchell | |
|---|---|
Mitchell in 1965 | |
| 31st Governor of South Australia | |
| In office 6 February 1991 – 21 July 1996 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Premier | John Bannon (1991–1992) Lynn Arnold (1992–1993) Dean Brown (1993–1996) |
| Lieutenant | Condor Laucke (1991–1992) Basil Hetzel (1992–1996) |
| Preceded by | Donald Dunstan |
| Succeeded by | Eric Neal |
| 10th Chancellor of the University of Adelaide | |
| In office 1983–1990 | |
| Preceded by | John Bray |
| Succeeded by | William Scammell |
| Judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia | |
| In office 23 September 1965 – 1983 | |
| Nominated by | Edric Bastyan |
| Appointed by | Frank Walsh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Roma Alma Flinders Mitchell 2 October 1913 North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
| Died | 5 March 2000 (aged 86) St Andrew's Hospital, South Australia, Australia |
| Relations | Samuel Mitchell (grandfather) |
| Education | St Aloysius College, Adelaide |
| Alma mater | University of Adelaide (LLB) |
| Profession |
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Roma Alma Flinders Mitchell (2 October 1913 – 5 March 2000) was an Australian barrister and lawyer. She became Australia's first female judge, the first woman appointed Queen's Counsel (QC) in 1962, the first female chancellor of an Australian university from 1983 to 1990, and the first woman to serve as governor of an Australian state from 1991 to 1996.
Mitchell was born on 2 October 1913 in North Adelaide, the youngest daughter of solicitor Harold Flinders Mitchell and Maude Imelda Mitchell. After her father's death in World War I, she was raised by her mother and excelled academically at St Aloysius College, becoming dux and achieving top marks in French and Latin. In 1931, she entered the University of Adelaide's law school, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws in 1934. During her studies, she co-founded the Women's Law Students' Club and received the David Murray Fellowship for her academic excellence.
Mitchell was admitted to the bar in 1934 and began her legal career at Rollison & Rollison, quickly rising to partner. She was a pioneering advocate for women's rights, campaigning for equal custody, equal pay, and the inclusion of women on juries in South Australia. In 1962, she became Australia's first female QC and in 1965 the country's first woman judge. She chaired key legal reform committees, contributed to criminal law and penal reform, and led the Royal Commission on Police Dismissal in 1978. Mitchell also served in academic and human rights roles, including deputy chancellor of the University of Adelaide, and later chair of the Australian Human Rights Commission, addressing issues from discrimination to Indigenous rights.
In 1983, Mitchell served briefly as South Australia's first female acting Chief Justice before retiring from the judiciary. She remained active in public life, serving as chancellor of the University of Adelaide from 1983 to 1990 and conducting inquiries on human rights and social justice. In 1991, she became Australia's first female state governor, holding the vice-regal office until 1996 and promoting gender equality, education, and community engagement. Mitchell continued her advocacy through campaigns, boards, and foundations, attending constitutional conventions and supporting Indigenous and women's rights. She died from bone cancer on 5 March 2000, and her state funeral was attended by hundreds.