The Victorian Government has today appointed County Court Judge Liberty Sanger OAM as the new State Coroner.
Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny congratulated Judge Sanger on her appointment, acknowledging her breadth of experience across the justice system.
Judge Sanger starts her role on 1 September following Judge John Cain's return to the County Court of Victoria after being appointed State Coroner in October 2019.
As State Coroner, she will be responsible for overseeing coronial services throughout the state.
Judge Sanger has served on the County Court since January 2024, focusing on civil cases in the Common Law Division and managing the WorkCover list for workplace injury claims.
Throughout her career she has dedicated her time to improving work conditions for women, chairing the Equal Workplaces Advisory Council from 2017 to 2024, co-chairing the Ministerial Taskforce on Workplace Sexual Harassment in 2021 and serving as a member on the Ministerial Council on Women's Equality from 2017 to 2020.
She was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2019 for her outstanding services to the community and her tireless efforts being a change agent for gender equality and awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2021 for these contributions and services to the law.
Playing an instrumental role in driving leadership opportunities for women, she served as a panel member for the Inquiry into Economic Equity for Victorian Women and was awarded Mentor of the Year in 2018 by the Law Institute of Victoria.
Prior to her appointment to the County Court, she held multiple positions with Maurice Blackburn Lawyers from 1997 to 2024, including National Head of the Personal Injuries Law Division, board member from 2008 to 2019 and chairing their Diversity and Inclusion Steering Committee.
As stated by Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny
"Judge Sanger's rich knowledge of the justice system and her dedication to the community makes her an excellent fit for this important role in our legal system."
"I would also like to sincerely thank Judge John Cain for his thoughtful and diligent contributions as the State Coroner over almost six years."
