LETTERS PATENT - 24 APRIL 1978

ELIZABETH THE SECOND, by the Grace of God Queen of Australia and Her other Realms and Territories, Head of the Commonwealth:

TO THE HONOURABLE DOUGLAS GORDON PATRICK McGREGOR,

a Judge of the Federal Court of Australia and the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory,

GREETING:

By these Our Letters Patent issued in Our names by Our Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia on the advice of Our Federal Executive Council and in pursuance of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Royal Commissions Act 1902, and other enabling powers, We appoint you to be a Commissioner to inquire into and report upon whether any breach of a law of the Commonwealth or any impropriety occurred in the course of the re-distribution in 1977 of the State of Queensland into Electoral Divisions for the election of Members of the House of Representatives, including the change of the name of a proposed Division from “Gold Coast” to “McPherson”, by reason of -

(a) anything said or action taken by or on behalf of the Honourable Eric Robinson;

(b) any action taken by the Distribution Commissioners or any of them as a result of anything said or action taken by or on behalf of the Honourable Eric Robinson; or

(c) any communication by the Distribution Commissioners to the Honourable Eric Robinson:

AND We direct you to make such recommendations as you consider are desirable as a result of your inquiry:

AND We require you as expeditiously as possible to make your inquiry and report the results of your inquiry and your recommendations to Our Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia.

WITNESS HIS EXCELLENCY

SIR ZELMAN COWEN, Knight of the Order of Australia, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguised Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Knight of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, one of Her Majesty’s Counsel learned in the law, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, this twenty-fourth day of April 1978.

ZELMAN COWEN,

Governor-General

By His Excellency’s Command,

J. D. ANTHONY,

Minister of State for Trade and Resources

for and on behalf of the Prime Minister