Fed: High Court appointment based on merit - Howard

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Fed: High Court appointment based on merit - Howard

SYDNEY, Dec 18 AAP - Australia's newest High Court justice was the best person forthe job, Prime Minister John Howard said today.

NSW judge John Dyson Heydon was appointed by the federal government to the High Courtto replace retiree Mary Gaudron.

Justice Gaudron was the only female Justice in the High Court and the government hasbeen criticised for not replacing her with another woman.

But Mr Howard today said gender had no part in the selection, nor was he concernedthat another NSW judge had been appointed to the country's highest court.

"What you do with something like this is you choose the best person for the job," MrHoward told reporters in Sydney today.

"And that is what we have done.

"Dyson Heydon is an outstanding jurist and I've listened around this morning and I'veread people's comments - nobody has criticised the appointment on merit and that ultimatelyis the test.

"The idea that you choose people according to some strict gender or geographical basiswhen you are dealing with the highest court in the country, is quite unrealistic."

Mr Howard said he entered into long discussions when deciding on Justice Heydon's appointmentand it was determined he was the best person for the job.

"He was the most suitable appointment," he said.

"The fact that he is a man and the fact that he comes from NSW in the end is far lessrelevant than the fact that in our view he is the best person for the job and that ishow we will approach all such appointments.

"We have in the past and we will in the future - that is what the Australian people want."

AAP as/nf/drp/sb

KEYWORD: HEYDON HOWARD