After a long career as Chief Ombudsman and a Judge, I still want to make a difference.

If you are looking for someone independent and impartial to undertake an investigation, I may be able to help.

Born in Gisborne, I graduated in law from the Victoria University of Wellington. I began my career as a litigation lawyer until being appointed at the age of 36 as a Judge of the District and Family Courts. In the early 2000s, I moved to Suva in Fiji. I had been seconded by the New Zealand Government to train judges in the Pacific, and I taught case management, the rules of justice, family law and youth justice law.

Returning to New Zealand, I was appointed the Principal Family Court Judge and then became a Law Commissioner in 2012. While at the Commission, I also taught law at Victoria University.

During the course of my judicial career, I prepared a number of reports including one on the reform of the Family Court, a case management manual for Family Court judges and a manual on child offenders for social workers and police. As a Law Commissioner, I oversaw a number of influential reports that resulted in law reform including burials and cremations and contempt of court.

At the end of 2015, Parliament appointed me to be Chief Ombudsman. I investigated complaints about government agencies and oversaw New Zealand’s freedom of information law, the Official Information Act.

Under a special United Nations delegation, I monitored and reported on places of detention including prisons, mental health units and aged care facilities.

I was also involved in monitoring people rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

During my time as Chief Ombudsman, I was invited onto the Board of the world body, the International Ombudsman Institute where I was a Director, Regional President and Second International Vice-President.

To me, the forging of sustainable relationships is everything- it’s establishing trust and it’s establishing a knowledge of what others regard as important. In this respect the establishment of my Māori board (while Chief Ombudsman), Pūhara Mana Tangata, lead to strong relationships with Māori and in particular the Kiingitanga.

The same is so with the disability community because of the establishment of my advisory board Te Roopu Kaiarahi Hauātanga. The richness of these relationships cannot be overstated. I have found similarly, my identification with the Pacific, through many years of involvement as a judge and teacher, has brought about a mutual trust and respect. (I hold the Samoan matai title of Misa)

My areas of expertise and experience mean that I will focus on requests for:

• Investigations and requests for enquiries particularly in relation to government administration or matters of public importance
• Public speaking, seminars and teaching in relation to aspects of public law, family law and interaction with government agencies and parliament
• Commentary on issues of public interest if they fall within my expertise and experience