Peter Barr QC

Peter BarrYear and Place of First Admission

  • 1976, New South Wales
  • 2004, appointed Queen’s Counsel

Jurisdictions

High Court, Federal Courts and Tribunals, New South Wales, Northern Territory

Degrees and Appointments

B.A (1974) LL.B. (1976) University of Sydney; NSW College of Law (1976)

Part-time Chairperson Disciplinary Appeals for the NT Public Sector, Legal officer in the RAN Reserve since 1977; now Lieutenant Commander and Head of the Darwin Panel, Honorary Consul for Belgium in Darwin and for the Northern Territory, 1989 to 2007

Areas of Practice

Anti-discrimination, Appeals, Commercial Law, Constitutional law, Defamation Equity Partnerships and Trusts, Health Law, Injunctions, Inquiries, Insurance, Land Rights and Native Title, Medical Negligence, Military Law, Motor Accidents, Personal Injury, Professional Services, Real Property, Trade Practices, Town Planning, Wills and Probate, Workers’ Compensation

Career

Peter was admitted as a legal practitioner of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory 9 December 1976. Peter was admitted as a solicitor in NSW in July 1976. He moved to the Territory in October 1976 to take up the position of employed solicitor with Cridland & Bauer (now Cridlands MB). From 1979 to 1991 Peter worked as a sole practitioner. During the period 1986-89 Peter was a member, then Deputy Chairman and Acting-Chairman of the NT Planning Authority.

Peter started practice at the Independent Bar in January 1993.

Peter has been a RAN Specialist Reserve Legal Officer since 1977. He acts as a part-time Chairperson of the Northern Territory Disciplinary Appeal Board (for the public sector).

Peter speaks French fluently and some Italian.  He holds dual citizenship (Australia and Ireland) and is able to do work in connection with his Australian practice in any European Union member state without work visa restrictions.

Reported cases include

  • Secretary, Department of Health and Community Services (Northern Territory) v JWB and SMB [1992] 66 ALJR 300 (Marion’s Case)
  • Attorney-General for the Northern Territory and Santos Limited v Chaffey (2007) 231 CLR 651
  • Rosecrance v Rosecrance (1995) 129 FLR 310;105 NTR 1 – junior counsel to Trevor Riley QC (now Justice Riley) in a personal injuries case heard in Santa Barbara, California
  • Namala v Northern Territory (1996) 131 FLR 468 – assessment of damages for negligently carried out caesarean section – damages for loss of cultural fulfilment to Aboriginal woman
  • Pritchard v Racecage Pty Ltd and others (1997) 142 ALR 527 – junior counsel to Christopher Gee QC in novel litigation arising out of the Northern Territory ‘Cannonball Run’ and the appeal to Full Court Federal Court
  • Tropicus Orchids Flowers and Foliage v Territory Insurance Office (1998) 148 FLR 441 – business interruption insurance claim
  • Williams v Australian Frontier Holidays Ltd (1998) 147 FLR 157 and Australian Frontier Holidays Ltd v Williams [1999] NTCA 121; (1999) 153 FLR 348 – appeal – meaning of s.4(1)(a)(i) Work Health Act – injury at workplace after work
  • City Developments Pty Ltd v Registrar-General of the Northern Territory and others [2000] NTSC 33; (2000) 156 FLR 1; 135 NTR 1 and in the Court of Appeal [2001] NTCA 7 – validity of easements granted for recreational purposes
  • Territory Insurance Office v Costa and anor [2002] NTCA 1 – principles applying to stay applications where special leave applied for
  • Alexander v Gorey & Cole Holdings Pty Ltd [2002] NTCA 7; 171 FLR 31  – the power of the Work Health Court to make a retrospective order to the date of a defective cancellation, to take into account the worker’s level of incapacity
  • NT TAB Pty Ltd v Dickin (2004) 14 NTLR 99 – estoppel and trial conduct
  • Renehan v Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation Ltd (2006) 151 NTR 1; 17 NTLR 83 – negligence and personal injury aboard a sail training ship
  • HWE Contracting Pty Ltd v Young; Newmont Australia Ltd v Kastelein (2007) 153 NTR 77; 20 NTLR 83 – whether provision of accommodation at remote mine site was “remuneration”; expert evidence – recognized field of expertise

Aboriginal Land Claims

  • Gurintji (Wave Hill) Land Claim – Counsel assisting the Land Commissioner Justice Toohey
  • Alawa Nandji (Cox River) Land Claim – Counsel assisting the Land Commissioner Justice Kearney
  • Mataranka Area Land Claim – Counsel for Banibi Pty Ltd  (owner of the land claimed) Land Commissioner Justice Maurice

Contact details

Peter Barr QC
William Forster Chambers
26 Harry Chan Avenue
Darwin NT 0800

GPO Box 4369
DARWIN NT 0801
Tel: + 61 (0)8 8982 4700
Fax: + 61 (0)8 8941 1541

email: pbarr@williamforster.com