Sir Anthony Mason, the former Chief Justice of Australia and one of Australia’s greatest and most influential jurists, has died just shy of his 101st birthday. He was a man of sharp mind, strong principles, and a wicked sense of humour. His jurisprudence shaped Australia, from the recognition of native title to a constitutional freedom of political communication.

Anthony Frank Mason was born on April 21 1925, and grew up in Sydney during the Great Depression, the tumultuous era of Premier Jack Lang, and the second world war. His father was a surveyor who wanted his son to follow in his footsteps, but his mother was determined he would be a barrister, like his uncle. Young Mason agreed, and his course was set from an early age.

But war intervened, and after leaving school, Mason joined the Royal Australian Air Force in January 1944. This was a courageous choice, because the life expectancy of air crews in action was poor. He trained first in Australia and then in Canada as a navigator. The war ended before he saw active service.

Returning to Sydney, Mason studied arts and law at the University of Sydney, where he gained first-class honours in both. He also later taught equity at the university for five years, including to three students who were later to become Justices of the High Court. One of those, Mary Gaudron, served with him on the court.

But his vocation was to be a barrister, and he was called to the bar in 1951, enjoying a stellar career from very early on. In 1964, at the age of 39, the Menzies government appointed Mason solicitor-general of the Commonwealth. In that role he provided the........

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