Vale: Robert James Ellicott AC

15/04/1927 - 31/10/2022

The Sport Australia Hall of Fame has advised the passing of esteemed Member The Hon. Robert James 'Bob' Ellicott AC at the age of 95 having been a significant figure in the Australian and New Zealand Sports Law Association and considered largely responsible for creating the Australian Institute of Sport.

Ellicott was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2016 as a General Member for his contribution to sports administration.

Throughout a long career Ellicott made a substantial contribution to the development, integrity and professionalism of sport and the sports law industry in Australia. A former Commonwealth Solicitor General and Minister for Home Affairs and Environment in the Fraser Government, Ellicott was largely responsible for creating the Australian Institute of Sport.

Following his election to Federal Parliament in the NSW seat of Wentworth in 1974, Ellicott became the first Attorney General in Malcolm Fraser’s liberal government until his resignation from that position in September 1977.

Following retirement from Parliament in 1981, Ellicott served time on the bench of the Federal Court, practised as a Queens Counsel at the Sydney Bar and played a prominent role in many significant sports cases such as the Super League case as lead counsel for the ARL.

In 1986 he was appointed as the Patron of Gymnastics Australia. He was awarded the Order of Merit by the Australian Olympic Committee in 2006.

Sport Australia Hall of Fame Chair John Bertrand AO shares “former federal Attorney-General, federal Solicitor-General and Federal Court judge, The Hon Bob Ellicott, was largely responsible for creating the Australian Institute of Sport.

“He made a substantial contribution to the development, integrity and professionalism of sport.

“A significant figure in the Australian and New Zealand Sports Law Association, one of the highest achievers, Bob dedicated his life to sport and his family and will always be remembered for his kind and bright nature.

“Our thoughts are with the Ellicott family and the entire sporting community."