▁for ▁a ▁ret iring ▁age ▁of ▁sevent y ▁for ▁all ▁federal ▁court ▁jud ges , ▁including ▁those ▁on ▁the ▁High ▁Court ▁— ▁though ▁not ▁jud ges ▁appointed ▁before ▁the ▁appro val ▁of ▁the ▁refer endum . ▁The ▁issue ▁was ▁not ▁controvers ial , ▁despite ▁Sir ▁Robert ▁M enz ies ' ▁description ▁of ▁the ▁change ▁as ▁' super f icial ▁and ▁ill - cons ider ed '. ▁Over ▁ 8 0 ▁per ▁cent ▁of ▁vot ers ▁supported ▁the ▁am end ment . ▁ ▁The ▁am end ment ▁applied ▁prospect ively , ▁meaning ▁the ▁ten ure ▁of ▁those ▁High ▁Court ▁and ▁Federal ▁jud ges ▁appointed ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁refer endum ▁were ▁una ffect ed . ▁Of ▁the ▁serving ▁High ▁Court ▁jud ges , ▁only ▁Sir ▁Gar field ▁Bar wick ▁made ▁use ▁of ▁his ▁original ▁ten ure , ▁ret iring ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 7 7 . ▁The ▁remaining ▁ ▁jud ges ▁either ▁retired , ▁res igned , ▁or ▁died , ▁with ▁the ▁exception ▁of ▁Harry ▁Gib bs ▁and ▁Anthony ▁Mason , ▁who ▁were ▁appointed ▁Chief ▁Justice ▁and ▁thus ▁lost ▁their ▁right ▁to ▁the ▁original ▁life ▁ten ure . ▁Several ▁Federal ▁jud ges ▁made ▁use ▁of ▁their ▁original ▁ten ure , ▁with ▁jud ges ▁of ▁the ▁Australian ▁Indust rial ▁Court ▁Sir ▁Per cy ▁Jos ke ▁ret iring ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁December ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁aged ▁, ▁and ▁Edward ▁Dun phy ▁ret iring ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁December ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁aged ▁. ▁Five ▁Federal