Justice Edward Picton Mullighan QC

ATTENDED PULTENEY GRAMMAR SCHOOL 1951 - 1956

Ted Mullighan was born on 25 March 1939. He received the Allen Scholarship and started at Pulteney in 1951. He was a School Senior, School Prefect, Captain of Howard House, a member of the debating team, magazine committee, and school cadets. He captained the 1st XI, was a member of the 1st XVIII, and awarded a Blue for both cricket and football in 1954.

Ted’s involvement with Pulteney continued long after leaving school. He was President of Pulteney Old Scholars’ Association (POSA) in 1969 and played both Old Scholars’ cricket and football. He was awarded the Pulteney Old Scholars’ Football Club Hill Memorial Trophy in 1959 and the McLaughlin Memorial Trophy in 1962. He was a foundation member of Pulteney Old Scholars’ Cricket Club, held many committee positions, coached and played, captaining both A and B teams, captaining the 1974 premiership side.

Ted was admitted to the bar in 1962, and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1978. He served on the Law Society from 1967-1983 and was president from 1978-80 overseeing the establishment of the Legal Services Commission and the introduction of a compulsory professional insurance scheme. He was counsel assisting the Royal Commissions into the Vietnam Moratorium and the Sailsbury Affair, and was counsel for uninsured farmers in the inquest into the Ash Wednesday bushfires. Ted worked extensively in the state’s criminal courts and was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court in 1989. He served as Chair of Reconciliation SA and worked with the Nunga Court. He had a reputation for compassion, understanding and the ability to explain the difficulties of applying the law.

In 2004 Ted was appointed Commissioner of the Inquiry into Children in State Care, and in 2007 was made Commissioner of the Children on the APY Lands Inquiry. He met with and listened to every person who came forward to the inquiries and traversed the state to meet with victims face to face.

Ted was awarded the Australian Human Rights Law Commission’s Law Award in 2003, and the Law Council of Australia President’s Medal for his outstanding contribution to the Australian legal profession. In 2011 he was awarded honorary doctorate at the University of Adelaide.

Ted lost his battle with cancer and died on 16 September 2011 aged 72.

He was awarded a state funeral, at St Peter’s Cathedral on 23 September 2011. LEGENDS PULTENEY