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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.”

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.

Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson announced today that the report-back date for the independent Inquiry into Havelock North Drinking-Water has been extended at the request of the Inquiry’s Panel.

The Panel, which began proceedings in October last year, will now report back to the Government in two stages.

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.

The Crown has signed an agreement in principle with Ngāti Rangi to settle its historical Treaty of Waitangi claims, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Ngāti Rangi has an area of interest centred around the upper Whangaehu River catchment, on the southern flank of Mount Ruapehu, including the settlements of Ohakune and Waiouru.

The House of Representatives has passed Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Bill through its third reading today.

“Whanganui Iwi has fought for recognition of its relationship with the Whanganui River since the 1870’s,” Mr Finlayson said. “Today brings the longest running litigation in New Zealand’s history to an end.”

The House of Representatives sat through extended sitting hours this morning to pass the Iwi and Hapū of Te Rohe o Te Wairoa Claims Settlement Bill through its first reading. The Bill has been referred to the Māori Affairs Committee.

“Today’s first reading is an important step towards full and final settlement of the historical claims of the iwi and hapū of Te Rohe o Te Wairoa,” Mr Finlayson said.

When enacted, this Bill will give effect to the Deed of Settlement signed by the iwi and hapū of Te Rohe o Te Wairoa and the Crown in November 2016.

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.

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.”

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.

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.