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Christchurch lawyer Marcus Elliott has been appointed Counsel Assisting the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Building Failure Caused by the Canterbury Earthquakes, with a specific focus on representing the interests of victims' families, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson said today.

Auckland District Court Judge Christina Inglis, has been appointed an Employment Court Judge to be based in Auckland, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Judge Inglis was appointed to the District Court Bench in 2010, and has sat in Manukau. Prior to that appointment she had a broad range of experience, including significant experience in employment law.

Waikato Coroner Gordon Matenga has been appointed Acting Chief Coroner from 1 September until 31 October while Judge Neil MacLean is on leave, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Coroner Matenga has been hearing evidence at the inquest for the victims of the Christchurch earthquake this week, and is also hearing a joint Inquest into a number of cycling related deaths.

Government will mark the centenary of the First World War beginning in 2014 with significant international and domestic projects and ceremonies, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Christopher Finlayson announced today.

“The First World War was one of the most significant events of the 20th Century and had a deep impact on New Zealand society,” Mr Finlayson said. “Ten per cent of our population of one million at that time served overseas, of which 18,000 died and 40,000 were wounded. This profoundly affected nearly every New Zealand family.”

Not-for-profit sector fundraiser Lisa Bates has been appointed to the board of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and current members Colleen Marshal and Roger Taylor have been re-appointed, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Christopher Finlayson announced today.

“Lisa Bates’ proven skills, which she showed in her contribution to the raising of $21 million for the Q Theatre development and her current project in the Endowment Fund for Arts Development, will add value to the Symphony Orchestra board,” Mr Finlayson said.

Auckland barrister Maureen Southwick QC has been appointed a Family Court Judge, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Judge Southwick QC was admitted to the New Zealand Bar in 1971 and was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2003. She practices in Auckland principally in the areas of family, relationship property and trust law.

Judge Laurie Newhook has been appointed Acting Principal Environment Judge, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today. 

Judge Newhook was appointed to the Environment Court Bench in 2001. He graduated from Auckland University with an LLB (Hons) in 1972 and was admitted to the Bar the same year. From 1976 he was a partner of Brookfields and antecedent firms, practicing in resource management, local government and general litigation with an emphasis on land, maritime matters, construction law and mediation/arbitration work.

New Chief District Court Judge appointed
 

The Government will fund further legal assistance for families of Canterbury earthquake victims, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson said today.

Government will appoint a new Counsel Assisting the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Building Failure Caused by the Canterbury and Christchurch Earthquakes, with a specific focus on representing the interests of the families who lost loved ones in the 22 February 2011 earthquake.

Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister, Christopher Finlayson, today announced the launch of Quake Stories, a website for people to share their experiences of the Canterbury earthquakes.

“Quake Stories is a living memorial,” Mr Finlayson said. “The website offers a place for all those affected by the earthquakes to tell their stories, and ensures those stories will be available to the historians of the future.”

Arts Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson has welcomed the New Zealand Film Archive’s discovery of lost reels of what is believed to be the earliest surviving Alfred Hitchcock film, 1923’s The White Shadow.

“This discovery shows the value of the Film Archive not only to New Zealand's film heritage, but internationally,” Mr Finlayson said. “It shows what a cultural asset the Film Archive is.”

Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson, Justice Minister Simon Power and Courts Minister Georgina Te Heuheu have all expressed their shock and sorrow at the death of Chief Judge Russell Johnson, who led the District Court for the last six years.

Acting Prime Minister, Gerry Brownlee, and Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, Christopher Finlayson, expressed sadness on behalf of the Government today at the death of Hon Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan ONZ on Wednesday 20 July after a short illness.

“Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan was an inspiring leader of her people and a genuinely great New Zealander,” Mr Finlayson said. "She was a graceful and charming person who cut short her academic career in early 1967, after the death of her father, to return to New Zealand to enter political life.”

The Crown today initialled a Deed of Settlement for all historical Treaty claims with Rongowhakaata, one of the three Turanga iwi, Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson announced. Initialling signals the end of substantive negotiations.

Chief District Court Judge Russell Joseph Johnson has been appointed Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces, Attorney-General Chris Finlayson announced today.

Chief Judge Johnson was an Officer of the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve for 25 years, being awarded the Volunteer Reserve Decoration (VRD) in 1987. He retired as Commanding Officer of the RNZNVR in 1992 with the rank of Commander RNZNVR.

Wellington lawyer Alan Ritchie has been appointed Deputy Judicial Conduct Commissioner for a term of five years, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Michael Turner, Barrister of Blenheim has been appointed as a District Court Judge, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

The Government will carefully consider the latest Waitangi Tribunal report Ko Aotearoa Tenei, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson said.

“The government will now consider the report in its entirety and in the context of existing policy,” Mr Finlayson said. “The Tribunal’s report, and non-binding recommendations it has proposed, will give us much food for thought.”

Auckland lawyer Claire Marie Ryan has been appointed a District Court Judge, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Judge Ryan was admitted to the New Zealand Bar in 1985, the Federal Court of Australia and the Supreme Court of ACT in 1990 and the Supreme Court of Victoria in 1993. She has practised for over 26 years, including five years in Australia, working extensively in the areas of criminal law, family law and child protection.

The Government will provide a $4 million grant for the Len Lye Centre project which is to be built immediately adjacent to New Plymouth’s Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Christopher Finlayson announced.

“Len Lye’s work is both nationally and internationally significant,” Mr Finlayson said. “Funding to the Len Lye Centre project will ensure New Plymouth’s visitors and residents will have substantially better access to this collection of works by one of New Zealand’s preeminent artists.”

Businessman Brian McGuinness has been appointed to the New Zealand Historic Places Trust Board of Trustees, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Christopher Finlayson announced today.

The work programme considering government support for the screen sector, including its response to the review of the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) by Sir Peter Jackson and David Court, has been released.

“Government initiatives play a significant role in supporting the film and television industries in New Zealand,” Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson said. “So we want to ensure our response to the review by Sir Peter Jackson and David Court is part of a work programme looking at government initiatives across the sector.”

The Crown signed agreements in principle towards settling historical Treaty grievances with Ngāti Rangiwewehi and Tapuika in Wellington today, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Christopher Finlayson announced.

The agreements in principle outline broad settlement packages which include historical, cultural, financial and commercial redress to settle the historical Treaty claims of the iwi.

The Crown and Ngāti Rēhua-Ngāti Wai ki Aotea (Ngāti Rēhua) have signed an Agreement in Principle to settle all outstanding historical Treaty of Waitangi claims, announced Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, Christopher Finlayson today.

Ngāti Rēhua is a hapū of Ngāti Wai based on Aotea/Great Barrier Island with historical grievances relating to old land claims, early Crown purchases, pre-emption waiver purchases and prejudice arising from the operation and impact of native land laws.