The Percy Baxter Churchill Fellowship to study ways of reducing the cost and delay in the criminal justice system

Linda Dessau possesses the ideals, energy and initiative to make things better in her field in a number of ways. Linda has been involved with the Churchill Trust in almost every capacity. She gained a Percy Baxter Churchill Fellowship in 1994, she sat on the Victorian Regional Committee and was on the interviewing panel, later becoming Chair of the Committee, as well as representing Victoria on the Trust’s National Board.

On her Fellowship Linda visited courts in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom to explore her observation that the tendency for some cases to extend unnecessarily to the very last stage in the court system was generating much waste of time and money. Linda thought that perhaps putting resources into initial court processes would result in many cases not having to go through an expensive, lengthy trial. Sometimes there is a strong case to encourage people to plead guilty early in the process, and judges take this into consideration when sentencing them.

Linda writes in her report that ‘in the American jurisdictions I visited I found thoughtful, intelligent lawyers and jurists; professional and committed, energetic and creative in their thinking and programmes’. She found a more flexible way of thinking in the United States.

With her latest role as Governor of Victoria, the dedicated, enthusiastic Linda now has even more opportunity to benefit her community.

Excerpt from “Inspiring Australians” written by Penny Hanley (2015)

• 2017 awarded Companion of the Order of Australia for eminent service to the people of Victoria through leadership roles in the judiciary, to the advancement of economic ties and business relationships, and as a supporter of charitable, sporting and arts organisations.