Wing Commander Edward Eather LLB, GRAD DIP (Mil Law), LLM (Int Law)

Royal Australian Air Force

 Wing Commander Edward Eather was appointed the Director of the Military Law Centre and Deputy Director of the Asia Pacific Centre for Military Law on 27 January 2010. In this capacity, he is responsible for the provision and coordination of legal training (covering military justice and operations law) to the Australian Defence Force, while providing legal training internationally in the areas of International Humanitarian and Human Rights Laws.

Wing Commander Eather joined the Royal Australian Air Force on 15 May 2001 as a direct entry officer. He had previously practiced privately in commercial law for 10 years, where he specialised in construction, insurance and government laws.

In September 2001, Wing Commander Eather undertook the role of Assistant General Counsel within Defence Legal in Canberra, where he provided legal advice and services to the Australian Defence Force’s senior executive across a range of strategic level legal and legal policy issues.

Wing Commander Eather then posted to Williamtown in October 2003 as the Wing Legal Officer, where he provided legal advice and services to the Commander Air Combat Group (fast jets) and the Officers Commanding 81/78 Wings. During his posting to Williamtown, he deployed to the Middle East in support of Australian Defence Force operations, where he provided legal advice to the Australian Director of the Combined Air Operations Centre and Australia’s Air Operations detachment.

In December 2005, Wing Commander Eather posted to Headquarters Air Command where he provided legal advice, support and assistance to the Air Commander Australia and his executive staff. In May 2006, he assumed the role of the Command Legal Officer, and in turn he took responsibility for the management of all Royal Australian Air Force Legal Officers posted to Air Command Units.

In late January 2007, Wing Commander Eather posted to Headquarters Joint Operations Command (JOC), and assumed the responsibility of providing legal advice and services to the JOC Executive, Plans Branch and the Air Operations Centre. In this role for the last three years, he has been intimately involved in the Australian Defence Force’s operations, both within Australian and throughout the world.

During the 2007 APEC Leader's Meeting, Wing Commander Eather was the Legal Officer that advised the Joint Forces Air Component Commander. In this capacity, he briefed the Governor-General as part of this call-out process to protect the interests of Commonwealth against domestic violence, if specified circumstances arose. He played a significant part in developing the rules of engagement for fast jet operations and other executive documentation used for this Operation. He had also provided similar legal support during the 2006 Commonwealth Games held in Melbourne.

Wing Commander Eather is a strong supporter of the Charter of the Asia Pacific Centre for Military Law, which is to facilitate cooperation amongst military forces of the Asia Pacific region in the research, training and implementation of the laws governing military operations.