Date: Wednesday 14th October 2009
Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Reception with The Hon Sussan Ley MP, Federal Shadow Minister for Justice  & Customs, Greg Smith SC MP, State Shadow Attorney General & State Shadow Minister for Justice, and The Hon Peter Collins AM QC, Former NSW Attorney General.

The Hon Sussan Ley MP
Shadow Minister for Justice & Customs

Sussan Ley was born in Nigeria and she spent her early childhood in the Middle East. She was educated in England and Australia, and her tertiary qualifications include a Bachelor of Economics, Masters of Taxation Law and a Masters of Accounting. She also holds a commercial pilot’s licence.

Sussan’s career has been varied, working as an Air Traffic Controller at metropolitan airports, an aerial stock mustering pilot in outback New South Wales and Queensland, a wool and beef farmer and a Director of Technical Training with the Australian Taxation Office.

Sussan lives in Albury with her three teenage children (and ‘sausage’ dog, Wally). As a migrant to Australia, Sussan says she has always seen this country as a bright happy place, full of opportunity. She is passionate about the lifestyles and landscapes of western NSW and she works hard for the future of rural and regional communities.

Sussan was first elected to the seat of Farrer in the 2001 election.  She was returned in October 2004 and subsequently promoted to the position of Parliamentary Secretary (Children and Youth Affairs). Sussan changed portfolios in 2006 when she was appointed the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

In November 2007, Sussan was returned as the member for Farrer and appointed Shadow Minister for Housing and the Status of Women.
In September 2008 Sussan was appointed the Shadow Minister for Customs and Justice.

As current Shadow Minister for Customs and Justice her role includes support in the maintenance and improvement of Australia’s system of law and justice, its national security and emergency management systems.

Greg Smith SC MP
State Shadow Attorney General, Shadow Minister for Justice

Greg Smith was elected as the Member for Epping on the 24th of March 2007 and soon after was appointed as the Liberal Party’s Shadow Attorney General and Shadow Minister for Justice and Shadow Minister for Juvenile Justice in the New South Wales Parliament. The Juvenile Justice shadow portfolio is now held by Anthony Roberts, Member for Lane Cove. Greg has been married to his wife Julianne for 33 years and they are the proud parents of Ben, Dominica, Nathaniel, Jerome and Philomena, as well as a Granddaughter, Teresa, the daughter of his eldest son Ben and his daughter-in-law Julianna.

In 1982 – 1983 Greg worked as an Instructing Solicitor to the Stewart Royal Commission into Drug Trafficking (otherwise known as the Mr Asia syndicate). Following this appointment Greg then became the Senior Assistant DPP when the Commonwealth DPP Office opened in Sydney in 1984 and held this post until 1985 when he was appointed the Senior Adviser (Legal) to the National Crime Authority in Sydney.

Greg was admitted to the Bar in 1987 and appointed a NSW Crown Prosecutor in the same year. From September 1992 to November 1993 Greg was seconded to ICAC as Counsel Assisting on the Operation Milloo investigation into police corruption. In 1998 Greg was appointed a Deputy Senior Crown Prosecutor.  He has prosecuted hundreds of criminal trials. He was appointed the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions in April of 2002, a post where Greg was to regularly appear in the High Court and other appellate courts as well as assisting in the management of the Office and the performance of the Director’s functions where delegated. Before leaving the DPP Greg was appointed a Senior Counsel on the 29th of September 2004.

The Hon Peter Collins AM QC
Former NSW Attorney General

Peter Collins attended Sydney University Law School where he graduated Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws. He was Editor of the prestigious SULS magazine BLACKACRE in 1972 and, in his final year, worked as a Professional Assistant in the Commonwealth Attorney General’s Office.

After reporting for ABC-TV and serving as the NSW Liberal Party’s Policy Research Manager, he was admitted to the NSW Bar in 1978 and was a foundation member of the newly formed Edmund Barton Chambers as well as the Communications and Media Law Association.

Peter Collins was elected to the NSW Parliament as Member for Willoughby in 1981.

In his 22 year Parliamentary career, he held six portfolios over the seven years of Coalition Government 1988-1995 including Attorney General
(1991-2) at which time he was appointed Queens Counsel, the last Liberal Attorney to be so appointed. He was also Deputy Leader and Leader of the Opposition for a total of six years.

Since leaving the NSW Parliament in 2003, he has worked extensively as a Navy Reserve lawyer including service as Fleet Legal Officer to the RAN; conducting administrative inquiries; and, leading an ADF legal team deployed to Iraq in 2007 to serve within the US Law and Order Task Force. He has been selected for promotion to the rank of Captain and was last year awarded the US Joint Service Commendation Medal.

He leads a very active business life and is Chairman of two major Health organizations.