[1] Temby was admitted to legal practice on 23 December 1966 and joined the Perth law firm Northmore Hale Davey and Leake in the same year.
He was the Australian Labor Party (ALP) candidate at the 1982 Nedlands state by-election, standing against future premier Richard Court.
However this appointment was vetoed by Premier John Fahey due to concerns of a conflict of interest as Temby as ICAC Commissioner had the police under his investigation.
[8] In 2004, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for service to the law, particularly in developing the role of the independent prosecutor in the Australian criminal justice system.
In 2015, he acted for Archbishop Philip Wilson[10] in relation to a charge of covering up child sexual abuse.