Public & Administrative Law

The Rena

by Chris Patterson | October 12, 2011

As I write this the Country’s news media are obsessed with the environmental fallout from the grounding of the Rena. While the reporting appears to mainly be focussed on the Government’s management of the response to the immediate environmental threat, there is increasing public concern as to whether the owner of the Rena will be able to be held responsible for... Read More

Judicial Creativity

by Chris Patterson | August 01, 2011

The extent to which judges should, could and do make the law, rather than Parliament, is a debate that has existed since the formation of modern law. On recently reading the decision of Justice Thomas in the Brooker v Police case, I was struck by his Honour’s creativity and brilliant interpretation of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act. Brooker v Police was a... Read More

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