Editors --- "Professor Alice Erh-Soon Tay" [2004] ALRCRefJl 32; (2004) 85 Australian Law Reform Commission Reform Journal 43

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Reform Issue 85 Summer 2004/05

This article appeared on page 43 of the original journal.

Obituary: Professor Alice Erh-Soon Tay

1934-2004

Professor Alice Erh-Soon Tay—eminent jurisprudence and comparative law scholar, teacher, author and former Commissioner at the ALRC—passed away in April 2004 at the age of 70.

Professor Tay was a part-time Commissioner of the Australian Law Reform Commission from 1982 to 1987. During her time at the ALRC, she contributed to several major inquiries—including The Recognition of Aboriginal Customary Laws (ALRC 31, 1986); Privacy (ALRC 22, 1983); Contempt (ALRC 35, 1987) and Matrimonial Property (ALRC 39, 1987).

Born in Singapore in 1934, Alice Tay was admitted to the Singapore Bar in 1957. Two years later she moved to the new law department of the University of Malaya (now the National University of Singapore) and began what was to be the start of an eminent academic career. She moved to Australia at the age of 27.

Among her numerous senior appointments, Professor Tay was the Challis Professor of Jurisprudence at Sydney University for 26 years from 1975; and President of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission for five years from 1998.

Professor Tay was widely published. She was active in promoting the rule of law and, in particular, provided crucial support for the Australia-China Human Rights Dialogue, the Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions, the Indonesian Human Rights Commission (Komnas Ham), and for the provision of legal training in Vietnam and Cambodia.

Professor Tay was awarded her PhD from the Australian National University in 1965 and an LLD (honoris causa) from Edinburgh in 1989. She was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1985 for her contributions to teaching and research in law.

The Commission extends its condolences to her family.