Pioneering Judge Mary Gaudron Dies Aged 83

Tributes have been paid to pioneering Australian judge Mary Gaudron, who has died aged 83, for her groundbreaking contributions to the country's legal landscape.

Ms Gaudron made history in 1987 when, at the age of 44, she became the first woman appointed to the High Court of Australia, a position she held until 2003. During her time on the High Court, she played a crucial role in shaping Australian law, including the landmark native title case, Mabo vs Queensland.

In the Mabo decision, Ms Gaudron and fellow High Court judge William Deane wrote of Aboriginal dispossession as "the darkest aspect of the history of this country".

Born on January 5, 1943, in Moree, a town in north-west New South Wales, Ms Gaudron paved the way for women in a male-dominated profession. She studied law at Sydney University on a scholarship and initially practised primarily in defamation and industrial law. In 1972, she became the first woman appointed to the NSW Bar Council.

After stepping down from the High Court in 2003, Ms Gaudron took a job with the International Labour Organization in Geneva and became president of its administrative tribunal.

In 2000, she spoke about what she believed were the true views of some powerful men on women's equality. "There are, I think, people who do not accept that men and women are equal, who do not think of equality as a good thing and, indeed, who actually fear the equal participation of women in the workplace," she said.

Governor-General Sam Mostyn paid tribute to Ms Gaudron, saying her legacy endures in the many people who followed the path she helped forge.

"As the first woman appointed to the High Court of Australia, and the only woman justice in the court's first century, she broke new ground and inspired generations of Australians to pursue careers in the law and public service," Ms Mostyn said in a social media post.

"Justice Gaudron brought her fierce intellect, integrity, compassion and a deep commitment to justice to every role she held. Her legacy endures in the Australian legal system and in the many people who continue to follow the path she helped forge."

Minister for Social Services Tanya Plibersek also paid tribute to Ms Gaudron, saying she "changed Australia's legal landscape".

"She fought for equal pay, broke down barriers for women in law … her intellect and courage made our country fairer," she said.

The Law Society of South Australia said Ms Gaudron's intellect, courage and commitment to justice helped shape the Australian legal landscape.

"Justice Gaudron made an enduring contribution to public life through her advocacy for equality, her service to the legal profession and her role as a trailblazer for women in law," Law Society president David Colovic said.

The High Court of Australia released a statement paying tribute to Ms Gaudron and her "distinguished career".

"Ms Gaudron advanced the role of women in the legal profession and in the judiciary by her advocacy as well as her example," the statement said.

"As a Justice of the High Court for 16 years, her impact on its institutional character and contribution to its work were profound."