He and his family immigrated to Australia when he was 18 , and he found work as a schoolteacher while studying law part - time at the University of Melbourne .
Higgins was born in what is now Northern Ireland .
Higgins and Higgins ' family immigrated to Australia when he was 18 , and he found work as a schoolteacher while studying law part - time at the University of Melbourne .
Higgins was born in what is now Northern Ireland .