It is with great sadness that we share news of the passing of our director, Robert Lindsay, on Sunday, 1 November 2025.
Robert was one of the founding members and directors of Ashiana Humanitarian Network Limited.
Our hearts go out to his family, his wife, Margaret Lindsay, his son Callum Lindsay, and all those who had the good fortune to know him.
Robert Lindsay was trained as a barrister in the Temple, London and was called to the English Bar at Gray’s Inn in 1970. As a law student he was Associate to an English High Court Judge, Sir Ramsay Willis. After postings in Belize and Fiji, he arrived in Australia in 1982, and in 1986 became in-house Counsel to the Corporate Affairs Commission in South Australia (now ASIC). In 1989 he was appointed as Deputy Director and Chief Counsel to the Legal Aid Commission in Western Australia and between 1997 and 2000 he acted as Director of Legal Aid. In 2000 he left the public service and set up practice as an independent barrister.
Robert argued cases in the Privy Council and the High Court of Australia, as well as the Full Federal Court and various Courts of Appeal, relating to areas of constitutional, criminal, corporate, contractual, administrative, migration and employment law.
Robert leaves behind a profound and worldwide legacy on issues related to Australian Administrative Law, Humanitarian Law, Employment Law, Commercial Law, Criminal Law including cases:
- Chen Shi Hai v Minister for Immigration & Multicultural Affairs (2001) CLR 293 where the argument succeeded that a Chinese child born outside the Chinese one child policy qualified as a refugee under the Refugee Convention
- Mitchell v The Queen (1996) 184 CLR 333 where the argument succeeded that principles of sentencing for life imprisonment did not require the imposition of a term of life without parole
- Queen v Aylen (1988) 141 LSJS, a case involving corporate fraud.
Throughout his prominent career, Robert’s influence reached across borders, as he shared his knowledge and vision with colleagues and mentored young lawyers and paralegals.
Robert wrote extensively for legal publications in the areas of administrative, criminal, corporate and migration law and his articles have been published in The Spectator, The Criminal Law Journal, The Australian Institute of Administrative Law Forum, and Brief.
In his writing and advocacy, Robert highlighted the importance of procedural fairness, the role of the judiciary in the separation of powers, and the protection of those who were especially vulnerable – including refugees and those from culturally diverse backgrounds, and those subjected to indefinite terms of imprisonment.
Since 2021, Robert played a significant role in the establishment of the Ashiana Humanitarian Network as a founding member and director, and continued his legacy of support for those seeking asylum and a new home in Australia.
Robert’s contributions to the community over more than 50 years in the legal profession were recognised in 2022 when he received the WA Attorney General’s Community Service Law Award.
The Ashiana Humanitarian Network and its members mourn the loss of a dear friend and mentor in Robert Lindsay. His intellectual curiosity, passion for the law, and commitment to human rights and humanitarian law will forever be remembered and cherished by those fortunate enough to have crossed paths with him.
Ashiana Humanitarian Network will hold an event in memory of Robert Lindsay and members will be notified.
