{{Short description|Australian judge}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2013}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = The Honourable | name = Peter Richard Garling | honorific_suffix = RFD SC | image = | image_size = 200px | office = Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales | nominator = John Hatzistergos | appointer = Dame Marie Bashir | term_start = | term_end = | predecessor = | successor = | profession = Judge, commissioner, barrister | education = University of Sydney (BA LLB) | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1952}}<ref name="WW"/> | birth_place = Kuala Lumpur, British Malaya<ref name="WW"/> | spouse = Jane Anne Loneragan<ref name="WW">{{cite web|url=http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/eduwiki/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=students10:who_s_who_in_australia_sample_pages.pdf|title=Who's Who in Australia 2010}}</ref> | children = }} '''Peter Garling''', RFD (born 1952 in Kuala Lumpur, British Malaya)<ref name="WW"/> is an Australian judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, the highest court in the state of New South Wales.
Garling is noted for his involvement in multiple high-profile public inquiries and royal commissions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sydney.edu.au/news/979.html?eventid=3740|title=Distinguished Speakers Program 2009: Peter Garling SC|date=26 March 2009|publisher=University of Sydney}}</ref><ref name="Swearing"/> Through his contributions, in particular the Garling Report,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://racma.edu.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=159&Itemid=336|title=Reviews: The Garling Report NSW|publisher=Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators}}</ref> Garling has made significant recommendations to improve the public health system of New South Wales.<ref name="Swearing"/>
==Early life and education== Peter Garling was born to Max and Patricia Garling in British Malaya.<ref name="WW"/><ref name="Swearing">{{cite web|url=http://www.supremecourt.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/supremecourt/documents/pdf/garling070610.pdf|title=Swearing-In Ceremony of the Honourable Peter Garling RFD SC as a Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales|first=James|last=Spigelman|date=7 June 2010|access-date=17 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140621171138/http://www.supremecourt.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/agdbasev7wr/supremecourt/documents/pdf/garling070610.pdf|archive-date=21 June 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> He is a descendant of Frederick Garling, one of the first solicitors admitted to the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the first appointed Crown Prosecutor in New South Wales.<ref name="Swearing"/>
Garling was educated at Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview and the University of Sydney, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts (1975) and Bachelor of Laws (1977).<ref name="Swearing"/><ref name="Appointed">{{cite web|url=http://sydney.edu.au/news/law/436.html?newsstoryid=5029|title=Barrister Peter Garling SC appointed as Supreme Court judge|first=Greg|last=Sherington|date=3 June 2010|publisher=Sydney Law School}}</ref>
During his university days, Garling joined the Sydney University Regiment of the Australian Army Reserve.<ref name="WW"/>
==Career==
===Early legal career=== After graduating from the law school, Garling worked as an articled clerk and solicitor at David Landa, Stewart & Company.<ref name="Swearing"/>
===Barristerial career=== Garling was admitted to the Bar in 1979 and read with Calvin "Cal" R. Callaway QC.<ref name="Swearing"/><ref name="Appointed"/> He commenced practising as a barrister in Garfield Barwick Chambers, followed by Second Floor Wentworth Chambers. He practised from Fifth Floor St James Hall from 1992 until his appointment.<ref name="Swearing"/>
On 4 November 1994, Garling took silk.<ref>New South Wales Bar Association. (1994.) [http://www.nswbar.asn.au/docs/resources/publications/bn/BAR%20NEWS%201994%20-%20SPRING%20SUMMER.PDF ''Bar News''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513204946/http://nswbar.asn.au/docs/resources/publications/bn/BAR%20NEWS%201994%20-%20SPRING%20SUMMER.PDF |date=13 May 2013 }}, Spring/Summer, p. 3.</ref>
===Judicial career=== In 2010, Garling was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.<ref name="Appointed"/>
===Other activity=== From 1970 to 1996, Garling was a serving member of the Australian Army Reserve.<ref name="Swearing"/> During this time, he served as the second-in-command of 1 Commando Company, and reached the rank of company commander of the Sydney University Regiment.<ref name="Swearing"/> For his extended services to the Army Reserve, he has been awarded the Reserve Force Decoration.<ref name="Swearing"/>
Garling has been involved in multiple public inquiries and royal commissions, including those into the 1997 Thredbo landslide, the Glenbrook and Waterfall railway accidents, the collapse of the HIH Insurance, and the affairs of the Medical Research and Compensation Foundation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www0.health.nsw.gov.au/news/2008/20080125_00.html|title=Peter Garling SC to lead Special Commission of Inquiry|date=25 January 2008|publisher=NSW Department of Health|access-date=17 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120214231552/http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/news/2008/20080125_00.html|archive-date=14 February 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> He served as the Commissioner conducting the Special Commission of Inquiry into Acute Care Services in NSW Public Hospitals, authoring the Garling Report.<ref>Sydney Medical School. (December 2009.) [http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/alumni/radius/2009/dec.pdf ''Radius''].</ref>
In 2023, Garling controversially awarded a permanent stay to Scouts NSW in a child sexual abuse case, despite the fact that the accused scout leader was a convicted pedophile. Garling also held the abuse victim liable for the Scouts' legal costs.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-05-28 |title=The church knew Josh's abuser was a danger to kids. When Josh sued, they went after his family|publisher=ABC News|location=Australia |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-29/legal-tactics-to-fight-abuse-compensation-claims-four-corners/102392184 |access-date=2023-10-07}}</ref>
==Personal life== Garling's three brothers also completed law degrees.<ref name="Swearing"/> At the time of his appointment, brother Max had become a mining entrepreneur; Anthony was a NSW District Court judge; and Kim, a private practice lawyer and former President of the Law Society of New South Wales.<ref name="Swearing"/>
In 1980, Garling married Jane Anne Loneragan,<ref name="WW"/> who is a solicitor and was a lecturer at the University of Technology, Sydney.<ref name="WW"/> Garling's elder daughter, Antonia, is a lawyer at (Gilbert + Tobin), while his other daughter Lucinda (Lucie) is a chartered accountant at Westpac.<ref name="WW"/>
==See also== *The Garling Report
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/Lawlink/Corporate/ll_corporate.nsf/pages/attorney_generals_department_acsinquiry Special Commission of Inquiry: Acute Care Services in NSW Public Hospitals] – Lawlink, Department of Attorney General and Justice
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Garling, Peter}} Category:1952 births Category:Australian Army personnel Category:Australian barristers Category:Lawyers from Sydney Category:Living people Category:People educated at Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview Category:People from Kuala Lumpur Category:Judges of the Supreme Court of New South Wales Category:Sydney Law School alumni Category:Academic staff of the University of Sydney Category:21st-century Australian judges Category:20th-century Australian military personnel Category:University of Sydney alumni