I was lucky enough to be in Auckland for the last night for the combined District Court High Court drinks. This had been a regular occasion, but in the aftermath of Covid it had been some years since it was last held. It was so good to see such a large turnout from both benches, and to see the obvious collegiality and warmth amongst those present.
It is all too easy for events like these to slip away, and then hard to revive them. That was why JANZ was keen to sponsor this event. My thanks to the judges and staff from the Auckland District Court who helped organise the evening. I also want to make special mention to Lifetime, who co-sponsored it with us. Aaron Bowkett (General Manager of Advice), Melody Fry (National Manager of Group and Employee Benefits) and Michelle Blacktop (the Group and Employee Benefits Specialist for the Judiciary schemes) from Lifetime were present. Lifetime are a great support for JANZ, underwriting the Sanctuary Care Programme, contributing to the cost of the JANZ website and co-sponsoring events like last night. A significant majority of the judiciary are in the Lifetime insurance scheme and utilise the other services they provide to us.
As alluded to last month, the significant issue for me is what in concrete form do we want JANZ to be and to achieve. The social and collegial aspect is important, as last night demonstrated. Working with organisations such as Lifetime to make available targeted financial and similar services is valuable.Support for our Pasifika brothers and sisters is an obvious avenue for us to explore. Similarly, support and active membership of international organisations, such as the IAJ, is a worthy aim. All that said, there are roles that constitutionally are not such an easy fit or belong elsewhere, such as through the Chief Justice or heads of bench. For instance, it is not infrequent that JANZ receives requests from journalists for comment on proposed legislation reform or political policy in, say, the criminal justice arena. These are politely redirected.
What I propose to do is utilise that judicial trick when confronted with a difficult issue, namely try to get someone else to answer it. In this case, that is you (and including the other judges, who remain JANZ-curious but have not yet made the commitment). Over the next month, JANZ will poll its members and the wider judiciary about what you want from it and how you see its role. There will be some suggestions for your consideration and comment about areas this can cover, but we will also be open to all suggestions (legal and practical of course).
Stay well.
Noel Sainsbury