E nga rau rangatira mā, e huihui mai nei I tenei po, tēnei aku mihi mahana ki a koutou. Kia ora mai tātou katoa. Nau mai, haere mai ki te whare o te Kawana Tianara ki Whanganui a Tara.
I specifically acknowledge:
The Honourable Judith Collins KC, Attorney-General
The Honourable Dame Ellen France, Justice of the Supreme Court
The Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer and The Honourable David Collins, Justices of the Court of Appeal
Former Attorneys-General and Solicitors-General
Ms Una Jagose KC, Solicitor-General
I want to acknowledge the passing of John Pike, KC – a much loved member of the Crown Law whānau. John is recognised by the judiciary and profession as one of the great criminal lawyers of his generation. Those of you who knew him well, know that he would retire from the Criminal Group many times but never really left. Moe mai rā e te Rangatira.
It’s a great privilege to join you all in celebrating this major milestone for Crown Law and the role of Solicitor-General. Tonight, we acknowledge the crucial role the Solicitor-General and Crown Law play in upholding the rule of law in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The role of Crown Law, the Solicitor-General and indeed, the constitutional arrangements that we exist under, are not just for legal geeks, but for all citizens to better understand.
As someone who regularly receives correspondence from aggrieved citizens who petition me to intervene in various matters – I wish there was a more widespread understanding of our nation’s constitutional arrangements, and the importance of the separation of powers. Relationships between our executive government, the legislature and judiciary – as well as the checks and balances they provide – are sometimes complex and subtle. The three branches of government represented here tonight uphold the rule of law in Aotearoa New Zealand, without fear or favour to ensure the endurance of the values we hold dear.
In my role as representative of our Head of State, His Majesty King Charles III, it is my privilege to be part of the legislature, granting Royal Assent to legislation. My other formal constitutional duties include dissolving Parliament for elections, appointing the executive based on the election results, and then presiding over the Executive Council.
Shortly, we will have the privilege of hearing from the Honourable Judith Collins, who is a member of the Executive and also our nation’s senior Law Officer, the Attorney-General. Her role is a vital one in upholding the rule of law.
The Solicitor-General is also an officer of the executive government, and holds her role at His Majesty’s pleasure. However, like the Senior Law Officer, as the Junior Law Officer, the Solicitor-General must also navigate the boundaries between the different branches of Government with great care and skill.
No matter what part we play within our nation’s constitutional framework, we have a duty to uphold our legal obligations and long-standing conventions that have stood our nation well. We do this in the interests of all New Zealanders.
We have the good fortune to live in a nation where the Attorney-General and Solicitor-General are tasked with giving independent advice – and where criminal prosecution is free from political interference.
I appreciate that in carrying out her role, the Solicitor-General is obliged to wear many different hats – as Chief Executive of Crown Law you lead prosecution services and hundreds of lawyers in government agencies; you are an independent adviser to Ministers and government agencies on legal matters, constitutional questions and te Tiriti o Waitangi; as Senior Counsel you represent government interests in litigation; and you supervise the appointment of members of the senior courts.
From time to time Governors-General have also sought advice from the Solicitor-General on constitutional matters and, at least on one occasion, been represented by them. In particular, I value the advice I receive from the Solicitor-General when I exercise my reserve power to appoint the Prime Minister following an election.
I also appreciate that this vital work is enabled and supported by an equally venerable public institution in Aotearoa – Crown Law. Our nation is indebted to all Counsel and to the researchers, librarians, discovery and litigation support assistants, advisers and experts in finance, technology, human resources and project management who support Law Officers, Counsel and the operation of the legal system across government.
You can all take enormous pride in this anniversary, as proof of the enduring value of the institution you serve – and of your mission to uphold the rule of law. For as Francis Bacon, who served as Solicitor-General and Attorney-General under King James I once said: “If we do not maintain justice, justice will not maintain us”.
As I noted earlier, while your work may fly beneath the radar for many New Zealanders, they all benefit from your commitment to the rule of law. You ensure that everyone in Aotearoa is both bound by and entitled to the benefit of laws. We are blessed to live in such a country.
I wish you and your colleagues at Crown Law all the very best in the years ahead, and I am delighted to host you for this very special anniversary event.