Mitchell MarkAPPOINTMENTSIndependent Police Conduct AuthorityHon MARK MITCHELL (Minister of Defence): I move That pursuant to sections 5 and 5A of the Independent Police Conduct Authority Act 1988 and section 32 of the Crown Entities Act 2004 this House recommend Her Excellency the Governor-General appoint Judge Colin John Doherty as chairperson of the Independent Police Conduct Authority for a term of 5 years commencing on 31 August 2017.The Independent Police Conduct Authority is established by section 4 of the Independent Police Conduct Authority Act 1988. Its function is to investigate complaints alleging any misconduct or neglect of duty by a member of the police or concerning any practice policy or procedure of the Police affecting the complainant. The authority is also responsible for investigating any incident involving serious bodily harm or death notified to the authority by the Commissioner of Police.Section 5 of the Independent Police Conduct Authority Act 1988 provides that the authority consists of up to five members appointed by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the House of Representatives. One member is to be appointed as the chairperson of the authority. The chairperson must be a judge or a retired judge. Appointments to the authority are subject to the provisions of section 32(1)(b) of the Crown Entities Act 2004. As such members of independent Crown entities are appointed for a maximum term of 5 years. The term of appointment for the current chairperson Judge Sir David Carruthers expired on 15 April 2017. Sir David indicated that he did not wish to be considered for reappointment. However the authority is currently undergoing an organisational restructuring and in order that Sir David can oversee this work before vacating office it is proposed that he remain in office until the end of August 2017. Because the chairperson of the authority must be a judge or a retired judge nominations for this appointment were sought from the Chief Justice and the Chief District Court Judge. Judge Doherty currently a senior member of the judiciary has been nominated to fill the important position of chairperson of the authority by the Chief District Court Judge. I am confident that Judge Doherty has the legal acumen judgment and administrative skills to equip him to be a very able appointee.Judge Doherty is the National Executive Judge of the District Court of New Zealand. He has been a District Court judge since 1997 after spending 20 years as a practising lawyer. Judge Doherty is also an Alternate Judge of the Environment Court and a Justice of the High Court of the Cook Islands. He has previously served as an Associate Judge of the High Court of New Zealand and a Justice of the Supreme Court of Samoa. Over the past 15 years Judge Doherty has held a number of senior administrative positions in the District Court judiciary. He is the chair of the District Court's International Framework for Court Excellence committee. He oversaw the implementation of New Zealand's first International Framework for Court Excellence an assessment in 2012 and its second assessment in 2015. He previously chaired the judicial reference group established in the wake of the 2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquakes for which he was a recipient of the 2013 Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration Award for Excellence. Before closing I would like to pay a tribute to the outstanding work of Sir David Carruthers as chairperson of the authority since April 2012. Under his leadership the authority has been a rigorous and independent watchdog of police conduct. His distinguished service in this role matches his achievements in a succession of crucial legal appointments over many years. He was appointed to the District Court bench in 1985 as the Principal Youth Court Judge in 1996 and the Chief District Court Judge in June of 2001. In July 2005 he was appointed chairperson of the New Zealand Parole Board. I congratulate him on and thank him for all he has done as a part of our judiciary.To succeed Sir David it is with great pleasure that I commend to the House Judge Doherty for this very important role. He is a highly able New Zealander and I am confident that he possesses the range of skills and attributes that will ensure the authority continues to meet its significant responsibilities impartially efficiently and effectively. All parties were consulted as part of the appointment process and all those who have responded were supportive of Judge Doherty's appointment. Thank you.