The Hon. Justice Geoffrey Bellew was sworn in as Acting Deputy President of the Industrial Relations Commission and Acting Justice of the Industrial Court of New South Wales by President Justice Ingmar Taylor in a private ceremony on 13 October 2025.
Acting Justice Bellew was a Justice of the Supreme Court of NSW from 2012 to 2023, and served in the Common Law Division, hearing both civil and criminal matters. His Honour regularly sat as a member of the Court of Criminal Appeal, including as the presiding Judge. Following his retirement from the Supreme Court, Acting Justice Bellew was appointed as the Chairperson of the State Parole Authority of NSW. In May 2025 his Honour was also appointed by the Attorney-General for New South Wales to undertake a review of the operation of the presumption of doli incapax in criminal proceedings within NSW.
His Honour further retains appointments as Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Notre Dame Sydney, sessional lecturer with the Sydney University Law Extension Committee and Chairperson of both the NSW Racing Appeals Tribunal and the Judiciary Panel of the National Rugby League and the International Rugby League. He is also an Acting Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria.
First called to the Bar in 1991 and appointed Senior Counsel in 2006, his Honour brings a wealth of experience in criminal law and will strengthen the Commission's capacity to manage the increasing volume of work health and safety matters.
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