Did deeply held religious faith influence a high court judge?

The early 1990s was, for Catholics, a time of political ascendancy – a Catholic prime minister, governor-general, and five of the seven high court justices. 

One of them was Sir Gerard Brennan, whose most famous judgement was the Mabo decision granting native title to indigenous Australians. 

How did his religion influence his decisions as a judge? 

His son, Jesuit priest Frank Brennan, has released a two volume-collection of his father’s articles and speeches, giving an extraordinary insight into the thinking of a jurist who helped shape Australian law.

GUEST: 

• Father Frank Brennan Jesuit priest, human rights lawyer and academic