Former Arts Minister joins Supreme Court in high-paying role
South Australia’s former Arts Minister will join the Supreme Court in a high-paying role months after she exited politics.
Former Arts Minister Andrea Michaels has been appointed to the state’s top court months after she exited politics, telling InDaily she was “truly grateful” to accept her appointment.
“It is a responsibility I take very seriously, and I look forward to serving the Court and the community in this way,” she said
“Having served the South Australian community in both public life and the law for many years, it is especially meaningful to now serve the Court in this capacity.”
Michaels’s appointment was announced in the Government Gazette yesterday and was signed off by Planning Minister Nick Champion on behalf of the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
The former Labor politician would start as an associate justice of the Supreme Court on June 15, filling a vacancy left after associate justice Katrina Bochner was promoted to Justice.
You might like
Associate justices support the work of Supreme Court justices through case management, mediations and hearing provisional matters.
As of 2025, the Remuneration Tribunal determined that associate justices of the Supreme Court would earn $468,100 a year.
Michaels is a commercial, tax and estate planning lawyer who co-founded boutique firm NDA Law and served as a company director.
She was elected as the member for Enfield in 2019, but announced her retirement from politics ahead of the 2026 state election
Stay informed, daily
Enfield was won by Lawrence Ben, the son-in-law of Federal Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell, at the 2026 state election.
After leaving politics, Michaels briefly returned to NDA Law as a senior lawyer.
Alongside her role as Arts Minister, Michaels was also Consumer and Business Affairs and Small and Family Business Minister during her time in parliament.
Prior to Labor returning to power in 2022, Michaels served in the shadow cabinet portfolios of housing, planning, urban development, consumer and business affairs and small and family business.
Meanwhile, criminal lawyer Jeff Powell SC has been appointed as a judge in the District Court, while deputy coroner Naomi Kereru will be elevated to state coroner when David Whittle’s term ends at the end of August.
In the Magistrates Court, solicitor Thomas Burke will begin as a magistrate next week, while employment law specialist Ben Smith has been appointed commissioner of the South Australian Employment Tribunal.
“Each of the individuals being appointed to judicial office today brings exceptional legal skills and wide and varied careers,” Attorney-General Kyam Maher said.
“These appointees have a diverse range of credentials and experience that will serve them in good stead as they take on important new responsibilities.
“South Australia’s courts and tribunals play a critical role in delivering justice, and these new appointments will support the efficiency of our justice system.”
Want to see more stories from InDaily SA in your Google search results?
- Click here to set InDaily SA as a preferred source.
- Tick the box next to "InDaily SA". That's it.
