Director of Public Prosecutions appointed

Attorney-General Robert Clark today announced the appointment of John Champion SC as Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

“Mr Champion is a person held in the highest regard across the legal profession,” Mr Clark said.

“He brings to the position of DPP more than 33 years of experience as a barrister. He has appeared in a wide range of criminal law matters for both the prosecution and the defence.

“His appearances have included lengthy and complex trials involving cases of murder, drug trafficking, white collar crime and terrorism as well as a range of cases before the Court of Appeal.”

Mr Champion was admitted to legal practice in 1976 and signed the Victorian Bar Roll in 1977. He was in-house Counsel to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions from 1999 to 2005 and was appointed Senior Counsel in 2003.

Mr Champion was also a member of the Executive Committee of the Criminal Bar Association from 2004 to 2010, and was Chairman of the Association from 2007 to 2010.

“Since his appointment as acting DPP from 1 July 2011, Mr Champion has achieved great progress in rebuilding stability and morale within Victoria’s public prosecution services,” Mr Clark said.

“Mr Champion is an experienced, capable and highly respected practitioner, and I am very pleased to welcome him as Victoria’s new Director of Public Prosecutions.”

The Victorian Coalition Government is also continuing to develop amendments to the Public Prosecutions Act 1994 to address role relationships and other structural issues.