This is the first of a two-part special with former magistrate, Michael Holmes OAM. After 17 years of service, Michael is the very recently-retired magistrate of the local court circuits in the New England area of northern New South Wales.

Michael is a longstanding friend of the UNE Law School. We are delighted that he could join Patrick to talk about his fascinating and varied career of nearly a half-century of public service.

In this first instalment, Michael speaks about his earlier distinguished career in policing, before his move to Hong Kong where he worked in law for most of the 1990s.

Make sure to join us next week for the second instalment of our biography of Michael, where we explore the life of a magistrate in the Australian bush.

Patrick Graham, Lecturer UNE Law School