Members of a judicial conduct panel set up to probe complaints against Justice Bill Wilson, have one common advantage – they are all media savvy and unlikely to be swayed by any accompanying media circus.Anounced by Judith Collins, acting Attorney-G
Members of a judicial conduct panel set up to probe complaints against Justice Bill Wilson, have one common advantage – they are all media savvy and unlikely to be swayed by any accompanying media circus.
Anounced by Judith Collins, acting Attorney-General responsible for dealing with the Justice Wilson complaints, the panel will conduct its historic hearing in public and before the country’s baying-for-blood media.
Chief Ombudsman Beverley Wakem – a former CEO of Radio New Zealand with broad experience in the public and private sector – is known for her no-nonsense approach.
As Chief Ombudsman she is well versed in dealing with a broad range of media issues – media are among the most common users of her Office.
Chief High Court judge Justice Helen Winkelmann – a judge since 2004 – is also no stranger to handling the media.
For more than a year Justice Winkelmann has been dealing with and balancing a multitude of complex pre-trial arguments, including many media challenges to a web of suppression orders – in the Urewera 18 “terrorism” raids affair.
Former chief High Court judge Justice Tony Randerson, now on the Court of Appeal, previously rejected a bid in 2003 by radio and television announcer Mike Hosking and his then wife Marie to stop publication in New Idea of photographs of their twin daughters.
In what was a line-in-the-sand for those in public life who seek to block media coverage of their public activities, Justice Randerson upheld the media’s right to photograph the children, with their mother, in a public place.
The Court of Appeal upheld Justice Randerson’s decision in 2004.
Ms Collins said Justices Randerson and Winkelmann were the most senior judges available who had not been "direct judicial colleagues" of Justice Wilson.
Ironically, when the Hoskings lost the fight before Justice Randerson, they immediately fired their specialist media lawyer Willy Akel, of Simpson Grierson, and replaced him with – wait for it – Bill Wilson.
