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Noel Sainsbury
President's piece: August 2025

Those of you who closely follow the work of the United Nations General Assembly will already be aware that 25 July was declared International Day for Judicial Well-being.

President's piece: August 2025
Noel Sainsbury
President's piece: July 2025

Winter can drain the joy from the greatest of life’s enthusiasts. But as we have passed the shortest day of the year the amount of daylight is now steadily increasing, albeit by about a minute a day. So as the evenings draw out, it is appropriate to reflect on maintaining our personal welfare. 

President's piece: July 2025
Noel Sainsbury
President's piece: May 2025

Following the chaos of the American presidential election in 2000, Russia offered to help the US avoid future problems by sending election monitors (as did the government of Robert Mugabe). By today’s standards, it was a piece of good-humoured trolling. The schadenfreude had greater piquancy due to the assumption that America, of all places, would not experience such systematic failures (who even knew before 2000 that a “hanging chad” was a thing?).

President's piece: May 2025
Noel Sainsbury
President's piece: Easter 2025

In our secular, rationalist, science-based world there is something pleasingly chaotic about the scheduling of Easter, as it oscillates throughout March and April, seemingly at random. The timing is a throwback to ancient lunar calendars and observations of the equinox (in case you are wondering, it is the first Sunday after the first full moon after the equinox on 21 March).

President's piece: Easter 2025
JANZ
Independence Day Reflections

I am writing this on the 4th of July. Independence Day as our American friends call it.  According to the US nationalist mythology, something all successful societies indulge in, a plucky band of freedom-loving colonists threw off the yoke of British tyranny to create a democracy serving the people. The truth, as ever, is somewhat murkier. It has been said that revolutions involve the middle class using the lower class to take out the upper class, so the middle can move up a rung. It is certainly true that the American revolution was a very conservative one; driven by wealthy land-owning families who saw greater individual advantage in running the country themselves.  

Independence Day Reflections

Criticism in the context of an independent judiciary

Criticism in the context of an independent judiciary

During her term as Attorney-General, Margaret Wilson reminded all members of parliament (MPs) of their responsibility to demonstrate restraint and respect when commenting on judges or the courts. Her caution is worth repeating in light of the recent ignorant criticism of two judges in the press and on social media. Her wise words, while directed at politicians, are of equal importance to the fourth estate and the virtue signalling mob that follows them.

August 2020 letter from JANZ president

August 2020 letter from JANZ president

The courts of New Zealand, in common with many others, function in a changeable environment where predicting the future is difficult. During these times, our interconnection, our unity of purpose, and our support of one another is critical, and so through our objects, we look to make connections at home and abroad.

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