Attorney General John Quigley is pleased to announce the appointment of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Amanda Forrester SC, as a Judge of the Supreme Court.
Ms Forrester has more than 25 years’ legal experience, serving mostly as a prosecutor, and was appointed a Senior Counsel in 2016.
She was a Senior State Prosecutor at the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions for Western Australia (ODPP) for 10 years before moving interstate to be a Crown Prosecutor at the Office of Public Prosecutions Victoria for four years.
Ms Forrester returned to WA in 2011 to senior roles at the ODPP before becoming the first woman to take the top job in 2017. She was reappointed in April 2022.
In addition to running the agency, Ms Forrester appeared for the State as prosecutor in high-profile criminal matters.
Her appointment to the Court will take effect on July 1. The position is newly created through the WA Government’s Justice Pipeline Model.
Senior Consultant State Prosecutor, Mr Robert Owen, will act as Director of Public Prosecutions from that date until a replacement is chosen.
As stated by Attorney General John Quigley:
“I wish to congratulate Ms Forrester on her well-deserved appointment to the Supreme Court.
“She has had an exemplary career as a prosecutor in which she handled numerous complex criminal cases, including lengthy homicide matters.
“Notably, the Bradley Edwards trial, the biggest and most complex trial in WA legal history, was successfully managed under Ms Forrester’s stewardship, highlighting her firm handle on legal processes and case management.
“As Director of Public Prosecutor, Ms Forrester personally appeared in High Court and Supreme Court appeals, and in high profile trials including the case against Francis Wark, who was convicted and sentenced to 18 years’ jail for the killing of teenager Hayley Dodd.
“Ms Forrester successfully spearheaded the ODPP through a period of expansion and change including the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated challenges.
“Her dedication to the job and the wellbeing of her staff has been admirable.
“The breadth of her experience and knowledge will make her an invaluable member of the Supreme Court bench.”
