Victoria's top judge is "profoundly sorry" for the sexual harassment of two women by a judge but says apologies are not enough.
The retired Supreme Court judge was found to have sexually harassed two female associates who worked for him.
The court received final reports into allegations by two women earlier this month.
Chief Justice Anne Ferguson on Thursday thanked the women for coming forward.
But she did not name the judge in her statement, going against the wishes of the women.
Their lawyer Josh Bornstein, who also represents three women who were sexually harassed by High Court Justice Dyson Heydon, tweeted that the women "requested that the court publicly name the judge in the interests of transparency (and fairness to other judges) but it has declined that request".
Chief Justice Ferguson said the women experienced panic, feelings of powerlessness, and were fearful of their employment and future careers because of the "wrong and reprehensible" conduct of the judge.
"I am profoundly sorry that the behaviour the women endured occurred," she said.
"As I read the reports I was struck by the horrible impact of these actions."
Sydney barrister Kate Eastman SC interviewed both women and the judge, who retired before the investigation began.
The reports found the judge kissed the women and put his hands between one woman's thighs after a dinner, The Age newspaper reported.
The judge reportedly claimed he fell in love with one of the women, writing to her in an email at her new workplace that "if falling in love with you was and remains a crime, I am guilty".
Ms Eastman found the women had experienced unwanted sexual advances, unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature and had received unfavourable treatment on the basis of their sex.
"The reports found the actions of the judge were a serious transgression of appropriate professional boundaries," Chief Justice Ferguson said.
"The reports noted the significant power imbalance between the employees and the judge."
Chief Justice Ferguson said apologies were not enough and unacceptable behaviour must stop.
"The responsibility to change culture and put measures in place to stop it happening lies with us," she acknowledged.
It's not the first time the conduct of a judge has been raised in a sexual harassment inquiry.
A report by former Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner Helen Szoke into sexual harassment in Victoria's courts reported inappropriate conduct by "a particular QC - who is now a judge".
It's not clear if the judge at the centre of Ms Eastman's report is the same person referred to in the review, or whether Ms Szoke's review - which called on women to make formal reports - triggered that investigation.
But she hopes it did.
"I think that's what we've seen - women have come forward and they've been encouraged and supported by other women to come forward, or they've felt more confident that the system is ready to believe them," she told AAP.
"I think this is one of the things that we hope comes out of these reviews and these very public stands against sexual harassment."
