29 October 2004
PM responds to Chief Justice’s comments
Prime Minister Helen Clark today responded to comments reported to have been made by Chief Justice Sian Elias at the
International Bar Association conference in Auckland. “In a panel discussion the Chief Justice appears to have again
raised issues around administrative support for the judiciary and superannuation for judges,” Helen Clark said.
“These matters are being worked through with the judiciary by the Ministry of Justice.
“I have never believed that the discussion between the bureaucracy and the judiciary on these issues could be the basis
for asserting that there is any threat to judicial independence in New Zealand.”
The Prime Minister repeated that judicial independence is a sacrosanct principle in this country, and said that she had
no further comment to make.
ENDS