Worth Richard: Lawyers and Conveyancers Bill — Instruction to Committee In Committee 
Worth Richard: Lawyers and Conveyancers Bill — Instruction to Committee In Committee 
[Volume:624;Page:19496] 
Dr RICHARD WORTH (National—Epsom) 
: 
 This is the start of a marathon debate that will involve an exhaustive examination of a number of key provisions. It involves issues of significance not only for the legal profession but also for the people of New Zealand. It is an unhelpful start when the MP for Whanganui in her typical way catcalls across the Chamber. But I am hoping that this may be one of those very rare debates in which she is prepared to make some substantial contribution. [ 
Interruption 
] I doubt it; she laughs. I think we probably all doubt it. It is important as we look at this legislation that it be a topic of exacting review if for no other reason than the fact that there are multiple last-minute amendments from the Minister of Justice. I hope the newly appointed Attorney-General—and we have not had a non - legally qualified Attorney-General since 1933—will himself participate in this debate. 
In dealing with the first part of this bill I would like very briefly to sketch an outline of the New Zealand Law Society. I will not be doing that for the benefit of the member for Whanganui because I think that her ability to absorb information is well and truly past. I will be doing it for those who take a genuine interest in the rule of law in New Zealand because it is a critical aspect of this legislation that lawyers stand as a bulwark against the infringement of human rights and stand for the advancement of society in a careful and constructed way. The New Zealand Law Society was established by statute in 1869 so it is a long-running organisation. 
Simon Power 
: It seems more recent than that. 
Dr RICHARD WORTH 
: Mr Power says that it seems more recent than that but no it was established in 1869. We are looking at a review of the Law Practitioners Act. That statute did a number of things. It set out the society’s name membership structure and general functions and also the society’s powers and duties. It made provision for a number of district law societies. So the existing structure which is now not to be is made up of the New Zealand Law Society and a number of district law societies: Auckland Canterbury Gisborne Hawke’s Bay Manawatu Marlborough Nelson Otago Southland Taranaki Waikato - Bay of Plenty Wanganui Wellington and Westland. These are not branches of the New Zealand Law Society; they are independent bodies with their own statutory powers. So we have a situation where the district law societies and the New Zealand Law Society operate in a federal structure. 
To flesh out the comments that I hope will be the subject of multiple calls on Part 1 I will say that the New Zealand Law Society is governed by a council of 29 or 30 members. The council has a president four vice-presidents a treasurer elected by the council 23 members elected by the district law societies—up to four each depending on the number of members—and a president-elect if any. The council meets at least once a year. There is a board which acts as the executive body managing the affairs of the society exercising all the functions and powers of the council except those that are specifically reserved. These issues are of interest to me—I say this as Mr Barker goes back to the chair to provide a semblance of constitutionality to the Committee stage of this bill—because I was the treasurer of the New Zealand Law Society for a number of years and I was also on the board. 
There is much in this bill that can be commended. There are some aspects as will emerge in the course of this debate that can be subject to criticism. The New Zealand Law Society board comprises 13 or 14 members: the president the four vice-presidents and eight members of the society elected by the council. The term of office of the elected board members is 2 years with a two-term maximum. As members in the Chamber will know the New Zealand Law Society has a number of special committees and also numerous ad hoc committees. My understanding is that at the moment there are three specialist sections: the Corporate Lawyers Association of New Zealand the property law section and the family law section.