Attorney-General
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Wellington barrister and solicitor Joanna Holden has been appointed an Employment Court Judge, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Ms Holden is currently team manager of a public law team at the Crown Law Office and works in the areas of employment law, health and safety law, public law and judicial review.

Christopher Finlayson Attorney-General
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Tauranga lawyer Anna Pollett has been appointed Crown Solicitor for Tauranga, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

She takes over the role from Greg Hollister-Jones following his appointment to the District Court Bench in March 2017.

Ms Pollett graduated from Victoria University with an LLB in 2002 and was admitted as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court in 2003. She is an experienced criminal lawyer who has served 14 years as a Crown prosecutor and appeared for the Crown in a wide variety of criminal matters. 

Christopher Finlayson Attorney-General
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Wellington public servant and barrister and solicitor Gerardus van Bohemen has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Justice van Bohemen graduated from Victoria University with a BA (English) in 1977 and an LLB (Hons) 1st Class in 1979. Between 1978 and 1982 he worked for the Legal Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before spending four years at the New Zealand Permanent Mission to the United Nations (UN) in New York.

Christopher Finlayson Attorney-General
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Wellington barrister Pheroze Jagose has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Justice Jagose graduated with an LLB from the University of Auckland in 1987 and commenced employment as a legal officer with the Northern Government Officers’ Union in Auckland. In 1989 he graduated with an MA in International Relations from Lancaster University and began working as a legal officer with the New Zealand Air Line Pilots’ Association.

Christopher Finlayson Attorney-General
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Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson and Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse were in Ottawa, Canada this week to attend the annual Five Country Ministerial.

The Five Country Ministerial brings together Interior Ministers, Immigration Ministers and Attorneys General from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand to discuss a range of common national security issues and identify areas for collaboration. This year topics included counter-terrorism, cyber-security and border security.

Michael Woodhouse Christopher Finlayson Immigration Attorney-General
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A bill to improve public access to the law has been introduced to Parliament, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

“This Government is committed to producing an accessible, clear and up-to-date statute book,” Mr Finlayson said. “The Legislation Bill will make it easier to find and access secondary legislation by requiring it to be published on the New Zealand Legislation website alongside Acts of Parliament.”

Christopher Finlayson Attorney-General
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Wellington Queen’s Counsel Peter Churchman has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Justice Churchman graduated with an LLB (Hons) from the University of Otago in 1979 and joined French Sons Burt & Co in Invercargill. Between 1982 and 1983 Justice Churchman was a solicitor in Dunedin at John Farry and Gowing. He then joined Caudwells (now Anderson Lloyd), becoming a litigation partner at that firm in 1984. In 1990 he was appointed a member of the Crown Panel.

Christopher Finlayson Attorney-General
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Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson today announced six re‑appointments and one new appointment as lay members of the High Court under the Commerce Act 1986.

Lay members assist the Court in cases involving appeals from decisions of the Commerce Commission and in other matters under the Commerce Act. They must have specialist knowledge or experience in industry, commerce, economics, law or accountancy.

The appointees are:

Christopher Finlayson Attorney-General
Speech

Mihi
Te maunga tupuna, Taranaki
Tū mai, tū mai rā
Ngā uri whakaheke
Koutou ngā kaikawe o ngā tohutohu
a Tohu Kākahi, a Te Whiti o Rongomai
Karanga mai, mihi mai, whakatau mai.
He rā tino nui tēnei mo te Karauna
He rā tino nui tēnei mo te Motu
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

Introduction

Christopher Finlayson Attorney-General
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The Crown has signed a Deed of Reconciliation with the Parihaka community in a ceremony held at Parihaka, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

“In the second half of the 19th century, the Crown devastated Parihaka which at the time was the largest community in Taranaki and a centre for peaceful protest.

“It is important the Crown apologise directly to the people of Parihaka for the actions it committed almost 140 years ago so we can begin to look forward to a new era of collaboration.”

Christopher Finlayson Attorney-General
Release

Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson today welcomed the public release of Stage 1 of the Inquiry into Havelock North Drinking-Water. Stage 1 addresses the causes of the water contamination incident and assesses the conduct of those responsible for providing safe drinking water in Havelock North.

Christopher Finlayson Attorney-General
Release

Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson leaves for France tomorrow to represent New Zealand at commemorations for the centenary of the Battle of Arras.

“Members of the New Zealand Tunnelling Company and the Māori Pioneer Battalion played an important role in Arras during the First World War,” Mr Finlayson said. “Over four and a half months they created almost 10 kilometres of underground passages which were capable of sheltering over 12,000 people.”

Christopher Finlayson Attorney-General
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Dunedin lawyer David Robinson has been appointed a coroner, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today. He replaces Brigitte Windley who was appointed a coroner in 2015 and now returns to Wellington.

Mr Robinson is currently a partner of the Dunedin law firm Gallaway Cook Allan. He has worked primarily in the area of civil litigation, including acting in substantial trust disputes, commercial litigation, construction law matters and maritime disputes. He also spent a number of years acting as a Crown prosecutor, conducting jury trials and appeals to the High Court.

Christopher Finlayson Attorney-General
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The Honourable Justice Denis Clifford has been appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Justice Clifford graduated LLB (Hons) from Victoria University of Wellington in 1978. He joined the Wellington law firm Buddle Anderson Kent & Co, leaving in 1980 to take up a position as Visiting Fellow at the University of Illinois Law School.

Christopher Finlayson Attorney-General
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Two Acting District Court Judges have been appointed, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Tauranga Crown Solicitor Greg Hollister-Jones has been appointed an Acting District Court Judge with a jury warrant to be based in Rotorua.

Mr Hollister-Jones has been the Tauranga Crown Solicitor since 1998. In that time he has prosecuted criminal trials, appeals in the High Court and proceeds of crime appeals in the Court of Appeal. He was a barrister in Tauranga from 1992 to 1997 and a Crown prosecutor with Meredith Connell in Auckland from 1987 to 1992.

Christopher Finlayson Attorney-General
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Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson travels to Singapore and Malaysia tomorrow for a series of ministerial meetings about countering terrorism and senior law officer matters.

“International cooperation on countering terrorism and other issues affecting our national security is crucial in the current global environment,” Mr Finlayson said. “We value our engagement with countries in the South East Asia region on these matters.”

Christopher Finlayson Attorney-General
Release

The Attorney-General announced today that an appointment round for Queen’s Counsel will take place in 2017. 

Appointments of Queen’s Counsel are made by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Attorney-General and with the concurrence of the Chief Justice. The Governor-General retains the discretion to appoint Queen’s Counsel in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to the law in fields other than advocacy.

Christopher Finlayson Attorney-General
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Legislation to modernise and bring together important law underpinning contracts and commercial transactions passed its third reading in Parliament today, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson said.

“This has been a major statute revision exercise,” Mr Finlayson said. “The substantive law has not changed but the rules contained in 11 contract and commercial Acts, some dating back to 1908, have been revised and consolidated into a single piece of legislation.

Christopher Finlayson Attorney-General
Release

Auckland Queen’s Counsel Christine Gordon has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Justice Gordon graduated with a BA in History from the University of Otago in 1974 and completed an LLB from the University of Auckland in 1983. She joined Russell McVeagh McKenzie Bartleet & Co in 1984 and worked primarily in the area of resource management law.

Christopher Finlayson Attorney-General
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Wellington barrister Noel Sainsbury has been appointed an Acting District Court Judge with a jury warrant to be based in Manukau, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Mr Sainsbury has practiced in the Wellington region since his admission in 1985. In 1993 he went into sole practice as a barrister and has worked primarily in the area of criminal law. He has extensive litigation experience including appearances before the Supreme Court and Privy Council.

Christopher Finlayson Attorney-General