2018 Kirby Derby

2018 Kirby Cup winning team Redlands.

The stakes were high today for the grand final of the Kirby Cup High School Mooting competition, which took place at Parramatta Family Court, between defending champion Queenwood School For Girls and new entrant, Redlands. Both schools reached the final after surviving knock-out eliminations against 20 other teams.

The moot, which means to make appellate legal arguments, was put before three judges – the Honourable Justice David Collier AM, the Honourable Judge Joseph Moore, and the School of Law’s Ms Francine Feld. They listened to the students expertly argue the case for whether the Minister for Immigration & Border Protection should use their discretion to revoke citizenship and residency status for a woman who was fraudulently granted citizenship as a child, and who subsequently engaged in minor criminal activity, or whether it is in the public interest for the person to remain an Australian citizen.

After impressive deliveries by the students, who defended their positions under intense questioning from the judges, it was clear it was going to be a tight contest between the two schools.

In their final remarks, the Judges noted how well the students performed under pressure.

In handing down the final judgement, the judges noted the team who won the legal aspects was Redlands, who argued that the Minister’s decision had fallen short; the best advocate was Ms Green from Queenwood, who presented a strong and clear case with good eye contact -- judges noted that Ms McNeil from Redlands came a close second.

The overall winner of the Kirby Cup was finally awarded to Redlands, who defeated last year’s winners Queenwood, in a tight and impressive contest that was described as the closest one yet in the Cup’s history.

2018 Kirby Cup winning team Redlands with Dean of the School of Law, Professor Steven Freeland.

In presenting the cup, Professor Steven Freeland, Dean of the School of Law, noted the social justice strengths of the University and the transformative possibilities a legal career holds.

ENDS.

16 November

Media Unit.