Jopling: The Thrill of the Chase & Ending a ‘Ridiculous’ Ban

Peter Jopling, AM, KC, isn’t a fan of the label “art collector.” During a lunch at Di Stasio Citta, a popular spot in Melbourne’s CBD, Jopling openly expresses his disdain for the term, wrinkling his nose in a clear display of disapproval. “I hate the concept of a collector,” he states firmly. His journey with art began at a young age; his first painting, a small Fred Williams, was purchased at 17 with money specifically gifted by his grandmother. This piece remains with him to this day.

Jopling’s professional life has been equally distinguished. He was a prominent commercial silk at the Victorian Bar, spearheaded the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s successful cartel action against packaging giant Visy, and notably acted for and against high-profile figures such as Christopher Skase, Alan Bond, and Simon Holmes à Court. Despite these significant legal achievements, his profound passion lies in the realm of art. He currently chairs the Melbourne Art Foundation, the organisation behind the annual Melbourne Art Fair held each February. His extensive involvement in the arts also includes previous chairing roles at the Potter Museum of Art, the Sir Robert Menzies Memorial Foundation, and the contemporary dance company Lucy Guerin Inc. Jopling estimates his personal art collection numbers in the hundreds, yet he reiterates his aversion to being labelled a “collector.”

“I watched my parents buy art, I watched my uncle buy art. It was just something ingrained in me, something that I did,” he explains. “It made my world more beautiful, more interesting, more engaged, more challenging, more reflective.”

His choice of Di Stasio Citta for lunch today is a testament to his appreciation for art patronage, specifically highlighting the owner Ronnie Di Stasio’s commitment to the arts. The restaurant itself serves as a canvas, with a video installation by artist Shaun Gladwell projected onto a large white wall, playing on a continuous loop. “Who else would put this in a restaurant?” Jopling remarks with admiration, gesturing upwards.

Coincidentally, Shaun Gladwell is present at the restaurant, working on a new installation. He stops by to greet Jopling, and the two engage in a conversation about meeting up in Milan and the video portrait Gladwell created of Allan Myers, KC, for the Bar’s portrait gallery. Jopling has been a driving force behind this portrait initiative. He candidly shares his experiences, noting the “ego trip of many of the people who sat for the portraits and resisted what we wanted to do.” However, he praises Allan Myers’s straightforward approach, stating, “He said, ‘Go for it’.”

As they peruse the menu, a complimentary appetiser arrives from Di Stasio: small bread triangles adorned with creamy ricotta and crushed peas. Jopling savours a bite, sighing contentedly. “How good are peas?” he exclaims.

Jopling’s formative years were spent in Ballarat, attending what is now Ballarat Clarendon College, before relocating to Melbourne at the age of 11 to study at Camberwell Grammar School. He pursued law at the University of Melbourne, a path inspired by his uncle, who was a barrister, and his own admitted lack of aptitude for mathematics and science.

His legal career began with a brief stint as a solicitor, completing his articles before moving on to serve as a judge’s associate to Sir Keith Aickin at the High Court and later to Sir Ninian Stephen. “I was lucky to have two High Court judges that I worked for and formed great friendships with, and [they] had a great influence, really, on my life and my working practices because I saw how hard a High Court judge worked,” he reflects. This instilled work ethic carried him through 45 years at the Bar, where he specialised in commercial litigation.

“In the beginning, you took whatever you could get,” Jopling recalls. “You couldn’t be that fussy and that was good because you got good training. I got work in the Children’s Court, and it’s tough, but I learnt to cross-examine.” He articulates a deep appreciation for the intellectual rigour and meticulous preparation demanded by cross-examination. “You only ask questions you know the answer to,” he explains. “There are a lot of people who are loose with the truth, and so it’s sort of almost the thrill of the chase in uncovering, getting to the core of the real story that they don’t really want to communicate.”

When asked about his most memorable cases, Jopling steers clear of mentioning Visy, Skase, or Bond. “There are some that I’ll probably be remembered for, but it’s probably best not to talk about,” he says cryptically. It’s likely he is alluding to his role as a court-appointed “contradictor” tasked with investigating the substantial fees paid to the now-disgraced former silk Norman O’Bryan in the Banksia Securities class action. Jopling’s general observation on litigation is that it is “not for the faint-hearted.” He quotes a Federal Court judge friend who described it as “the only activity in the world where everyone’s sort of against you.” He contrasts this with surgery, where the entire medical team collaborates towards a positive outcome. “But in the courtroom, your opponents want to destroy you.” This adversarial nature, he notes, is precisely what makes litigation “exciting and invigorating.”

He dismisses any temptation to join the bench, stating, “I loved being a barrister.” When questioned about whether he was ever approached to become a judge, he remains guarded, saying, “I wouldn’t go into that.” He expresses profound admiration for judges, acknowledging their “extraordinary service” which he believes is not fully understood or valued by the public or politicians.

Jopling is particularly vocal about the trend of solicitors being appointed as judges. “That’s been a trend and I think, by and large, a failure,” he asserts. His firm belief is that the judiciary should be exclusively appointed from the Bar, thereby ensuring candidates possess essential trial experience. He critiques governments for prioritising diversity in appointments for public relations purposes, arguing, “I don’t think the public really care. The public want the brightest and most efficient person.”

Another area where Jopling has been a staunch advocate is for the admission of women to the historically men-only Australia Club. “We’re not meant to talk about that in public, but it’s just ridiculous that they’re not members,” he states. He finds it anachronistic for a club in a major city to exclude an entire gender, stating, “I just don’t think that’s in touch with contemporary thinking.” While some members left the club over the issue, many simply moved to the equally male-only Melbourne Club, meaning “nothing changed.” Jopling champions change through engagement from within. He recently celebrated his 70th birthday at the Australia Club, observing the irony that half his guests were women, and “nobody blinked.” “It’ll happen in time,” he optimises. “I hope it happens in my lifetime. But we’ve got men from all backgrounds and all races and all sexual persuasions. So why can’t we have women as well?”

The main courses arrive: Jopling opts for thin slices of veal saltimbocca with crisp roast potatoes, while the writer chooses linguine, enticed by its description of “prawns, parsley, lemon and sunshine.” On a typically overcast Melbourne day, the dish’s bright, fresh sauce proves a delightful contrast.

Jopling attributes his enduring love for art to his mother, who would take him to galleries and engage him in discussions about the artists they encountered. His parents also instilled in him a strong sense of civic duty: “always told me that you have an obligation to give back.” This philosophy underpins his extensive involvement in arts organisations. He also highlights the personal enrichment derived from his engagement with the art world. “The joy of it is I then started meeting people who weren’t lawyers,” he shares. “The law is a very insular world, and you know, probably it has to be. But I enjoy meeting people from other disciplines and broadening my horizons and my sense of understanding how the world operates.”

Jopling’s current focus is the Melbourne Art Fair, set to open on February 19th. He anticipates it will be “even bigger and better,” featuring a new category called Futureobjekt. This section will “showcasing talented men and women who are craft-makers and place-makers,” with the aim of fostering a commercial future for their creations. “I’d love to see that really strengthen and grow and become something of substance so that these people can see that there’s a commercial future for adaptation of what they’re making.”

The Melbourne Art Fair’s core mission, Jopling explains, is twofold: to facilitate the sale of art and to educate the public about Australian artists. He is particularly proud of the fair’s emphasis on commercial viability. “You’ve got to sell product,” he stresses. “People have to earn money, people have got to pay rent, buy food, educate children, and they’ve got to live, so you’ve got to have a commercial proposition.” While the fair receives government funding, Jopling highlights the board’s success in securing corporate sponsorship from brands like fashion label Loewe, champagne house Bollinger, and skincare business Rationale, owned by Jopling’s husband, Richard Parker.

During lunch, Jopling abstains from alcohol, opting for sparkling water, though he admits to enjoying the occasional glass of champagne. “I’m now on trend,” he jokes. “But if you met me 10 years ago for lunch, it would have been the same story, or 20 years ago.” His indulgence lies with chocolate, and he eagerly devours a small chocolate-coated ice-cream ball, a parting gift from Di Stasio. “I have an absolute sweet tooth,” he confesses.

Jopling’s “new project” involves a significant philanthropic commitment: he plans to donate his extensive art collection to the Potter Museum of Art and the University of Melbourne. “The aim is not to buy anything from now until the time of my death,” he declares. “Instead, I’m going to give the Potter money each year to buy something to add to the collection.”

Despite these future plans, Jopling remains engaged with the present. “I love meeting artists,” he says. “I love watching how they observe the world because I think that’s part of their native genius … their ability to observe a world that we’re too busy rushing around to stop and properly observe. They enable us to take stock of that world and to better understand and to better appreciate.”

The Melbourne Art Fair is scheduled to run from February 19-22, 2026.