Australian judge David Lambourne is facing deportation from Kiribati after the country's parliament voted to remove him from the High Court. Lambourne's suspension from office due to allegations of misconduct caused a significant judicial crisis in Kiribati, with the nation now lacking senior judges. Despite Lambourne's efforts to block his suspension through legal means, the parliament's recent decision signifies a crucial step towards his removal, pending the president's approval.
Having resided in Kiribati for many years and being married to the current opposition leader, Tessie Lambourne, Justice Lambourne expressed deep sadness over the resolution passed in parliament. He cited concerns about the political motivations behind the process, stating that it has weakened the democracy of the nation. The tribunal set up by the government to investigate the allegations found that only one out of the five accusations constituted a breach of the judicial code of conduct, specifically related to a delayed written judgment.
Justice Lambourne accused the tribunal of denying him natural justice and pointed out flaws in their procedures. He highlighted a broader issue of the executive's perceived attack on the judiciary's independence over the past two years in Kiribati. Despite the vote in parliament, the office of Kiribati President Taneti Maamau has not yet provided a comment on Lambourne's potential deportation. With Kiribati increasingly relying on expatriate judges, legal groups in Australia and a UN Special Rapporteur have criticized Kiribati's actions, claiming that the government's recent moves undermine judicial independence and interfere with judges' security.