Human Rights Award for Sustained Contribution

A Melbourne Law School professor who provided expert International Humanitarian Law advice to Major Mori for the defence of David Hicks is this year’s recipient of the Law Institute of Victoria's (LIV) Paul Baker Award for 2008.

Tim McCormack, Foundation Australian Red Cross Professor of International Humanitarian Law and Director of the Asia Pacific Centre for Military Law at Melbourne Law School, was presented the award at the annual LIV Legal Awards lunch on Friday, 7 November 2008.

The late Paul Baker was a past Chair of the LIV's Administrative and Human Rights Law Section and the award in his honour is given each year 'in recognition of an outstanding contribution and significant achievement in the field of administrative or human rights law'.

Professor McCormack was specifically recognised for his sustained contribution to the promotion of international humanitarian and human rights law through his published academic work, his teaching and his public advocacy through lectures, seminars and media commentary. The citation singled out Professor McCormack’s article 'David Hicks and the Charade of Guantánamo Bay' (2007) 8 The Melbourne Journal of International Law 273-291, and his article (with Gideon Boas) ‘Learning the Lessons of the Miloševi? Trial’ (2006) 9 Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law 65-85.

His most recent article, ‘Lest we Forget the Criminal Atrocities of War’, was published in The Age on Monday, 10 November 2008 and can be read here.