The origins of contemporary judicial power in Papua New Guinea

The origins of contemporary judicial power in Papua New Guinea

From Selden Society lecture series Australia by Supreme Court Library Queensland

October 22, 2025 · 1h 41m · Episode 40

About this episode

This episode explores the historical context and implications of the suicide of Christopher Stansfeld Robinson, the first Australian chief judicial officer in Papua, and its connection to the colonial experience.

On the night of 19 June 1904, Christopher Stansfeld Robinson—the first Australian chief judicial officer in what became the Territory of Papua—died by suicide outside Government House in Port Moresby. Behind this tragedy lay earlier tragedies, each rooted in the clash of civilisations that marked the colonial experience for what has become the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, for the Commonwealth of Australia and for a shared colonial predecessor, the United Kingdom. Marking the 5...

Topics covered

  • judicial power
  • colonial history
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Australia
  • civilization clash

Keywords

  • Christopher Stansfeld Robinson
  • suicide
  • Government House
  • Port Moresby
  • colonial experience
  • Independent State of Papua New Guinea
  • Commonwealth of Australia
  • United Kingdom

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Papua New Guinea, the Territory of Papua, Port Moresby, the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, the Commonwealth of Australia, the United Kingdom

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