I recently published a small book entitled A Private Life. This provides a number of biographical sketches, although it stops short of deserving the title of an autobiography.
The fourth chapter of the book is named for my partner of 43 years, Johan van Vloten. It tells how we met and how we have stayed together ever since. It has never been formalised by marriage or in any other way. But it is rock solid and a great blessing in my life and in the lives of my family. Anyone who would deny another human being who wants a loving, supportive, intimate companion on the journey through life is not a kind person.
Michael Kirby is a former judge of the High Court of Australia.