Judicial Members
Chairperson: Justice James Wood stepped down in December 2019 after six years as the SPA Chairman. A new appointment will be announced in early 2020. Judge David Freeman is currently the Alternate Chairman.
Justice James Wood, AO QC
A highly respected Justice of the Supreme Court of NSW for 21 years before retiring from the Bench, Judge Wood was appointed to SPA as Chairman in 2013. In a long and distinguished career, he has held numerous appointments including Chief Judge of Common Law, Royal Commissioner leading an inquiry into corruption within the NSW Police Service and into Paedophilia and Chairman of the NSW Law Reform Commission. He has been reappointed a further 12 months to continue serving as a SPA Judicial Officer.
APPOINTED: 2013
Judge David James Freeman
Judge Freeman has considerable experience in criminal law after a 31 year career as a judge of the NSW District Court. Upon retirement he was appointed an Acting District Court Judge and an Acting Supreme Court Judge.
APPOINTED: 2013
The Honourable Graham Russell Barr, QC
A former Deputy Senior Crown Prosecutor and Deputy Crown Advocate he was appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court of NSW before stepping down in 2009. He was subsequently appointed as an Acting Judge and an Inspector of the New South Wales Crime Commission.
APPOINTED: 2014
Judge Colin Charteris SC
He is currently an Acting Judge of the District Court. As a former Prosecutor and Defence Counsel he appeared in many significant criminal trials across all NSW court jurisdictions. Since joining the bench in 2003, he has presided over criminal and civil trials in Sydney, as well as 26 regional NSW District Courts.
APPOINTED: 2018
John Bailey
Appointed an Acting Local Court Magistrate in 2008, Mr Bailey served on the Metropolitan and country circuits. Previously a Public Solicitor in the Criminal Indictable Section he has extensive experience in criminal and civil matters.
APPOINTED: 2016
Shaughan McCosker
Commencing his career as a solicitor in 1988, he was appointed an Acting Magistrate in 1994 and a year later appointed as a Magistrate of the Local Court of New South Wales attached to the Armidale and Taree circuit.
APPOINTED: 2016
Ian McRae
Appointed a Magistrate in 1988, Mr McRae is also a former mayor of Temora Municipal Council. His appointments include NSW Home Fund Commissioner; Senior Coordinating Magistrate Western Suburbs Local Court and Judicial Member of the NSW Racing Tribunal.
APPOINTED: 2016
Allan Moore
Appointed a Magistrate in 1989, he presided at Central Local
Court for more than decade. In 2011, he was appointed as a Tribunal Member with the Victims Compensation Tribunal and an Acting Magistrate of NSW.
APPOINTED: 2012