Katene Rahui: Urgent Debates — Resignation of Supreme Court Judge—Justice Wilson 
Katene Rahui: Urgent Debates — Resignation of Supreme Court Judge—Justice Wilson 
[Volume:668;Page:15094] 
RAHUI KATENE (Maori Party—Te Tai Tonga) 
: 
 The Maori Party stands to take a call in this urgent debate around the appropriate call of judicial bias in New Zealand. There are many issues embedded in the situation around Justice Bill Wilson which cut to the thrust of issues around justice and injustice—around the proper application of the law. The injustice we are dealing with today is more along the lines of the perception of injustice: the question of perceived judicial bias. I have to agree with other members that there are certainly issues around the supposed golden handshake of a year’s salary of $410000 as well as solicitor-client costs which are calculated at $475000. Of course on top of that there are the additional legal costs that come with the work of the Judicial Conduct Commissioner and the Judicial Conduct Act. It is not appropriate for me or for the Maori Party to make comments about this situation related to the individual—Justice Wilson. These matters have been dealt with appropriately by the Acting Attorney-General Judith Collins and indeed before her by the Judicial Conduct Commissioner Dr David Gascoigne. 
Justice Wilson has been through the process that was outlined by previous speakers. He has taken a decision to tender his resignation and the matter has therefore been brought to an effective resolution. But I want to comment on two issues that have stood out in the way in which this situation has been dealt with. First I commend Minister Collins for her brave decision to call on a judicial conduct panel to investigate the longstanding issues associated with Justice Wilson’s conduct in the Saxmere wool case. As I understand it in the opinion of Auckland University law professor Bill Hodge this was the first time such a panel had been appointed. The Minister determined that a panel was necessary to follow up on an investigation into the situation following inquiries about complaints against Justice Wilson. 
The second bold determination was to work towards the resignation of the judge in the best interests of New Zealand’s legal standing and legal history. I heard the Minister say earlier that that was an independent decision from the judge but I commend her for taking a very strong line in the situation and as such preventing even more excessive costs to be spent if the case had proceeded even further. The Minister has suggested that carrying on with the case just for the sake of taking the case to court would have caused incalculable damage to confidence in the judiciary. So I commend her for a solid decision in bringing this matter to a speedy resolution and to this end helping to both safeguard the judicial reputation and save inordinate expenses for the taxpayer. 
We believe that in this case justice has not only been done but been seen to be done. To this end we support the decision taken by Minister Collins for the long-term interest. We cannot have a judiciary in which there are any questions of bias or perceived conflict of interest operating. Indeed it is one of the most significant issues impacting upon the experience of Maori in the justice system. There is another debate to be had that might bring to the House the question that bias operates within the criminal justice system such that any suspected or actual offending by Maori has harsher consequences for those Maori resulting in a gross overrepresentation within that system but that is not a debate to be had today. For the purposes of this debate we support the actions of the Acting Attorney-General and the Government in relation to Justice Wilson.