My experience of working under a coup in Fiji — where judicial independence was sorely challenged, and daily life became so difficult — taught me the value of collective support for judges and their families. Collective support also proved effective for the judges of Yemen, where recording their torture and assassination lead to the rescue of some and protection of others.
The courts of New Zealand, in common with many others, function in a changeable environment where predicting the future is difficult. What is certain is, like many institutions, over the next decade the judiciary will confront significant disruptions. Including:
Challenges to judicial independence
Fundamental changes to the separation of powers
Heightened demands for public accountability and transparency
Growing need for justice services, including accessible and affordable justice
Threats to security, including cybersecurity
Constantly evolving social, cultural, and environmental issues
Progressively more intricate laws and legislation
Developments in science and technology, including social media, artificial intelligence, and automation.
Courts flourish where strong judicial relationships and a culture based on mutual respect is the number one priority. Giving judges a range of opportunities to engage with leadership and each other to produce collaborative and workable well-designed tasks provides purpose and a clear structure to each part of the judicial process.
In these times, our interconnection, our unity of purpose, and our support of one another is critical. Through our objects, JANZ looks to make those connections.
Connecting our judges under our objects will kindle imagination, foster judicial knowledge not just of the law but our communities, embrace an ethic of service, and allow for the pastoral care of judges and their families
Connecting our judges in JANZ to likeminded associations internationally will stimulate critical thinking and create responses to the challenges we all confront or challenges we have not yet seen.
Connecting judges in an association provides for a supportive exchange of experiences allowing us to think about what we do beyond the unglamorous grind of our daily chores.
Connecting judges by free association will strengthen unity while upholding judicial independence in times of change where we must cherish and develop our role guided by principles that endure and that matter.
Thank you for your continued support of this website. Our recent survey highlighted that you especially want to hear more from us about health, exercise, mindfulness, future planning (insurance, superannuation), and news from and about the judiciary. You also want to hear about local businesses you can support as well as charitable campaigns in the community. We are currently working on a programme about PTSD and judges, and we will publish more information about that next month. Next year we are exploring the idea of a two-day gathering in Taupo to add on to the IJS ‘Wellness’ seminar scheduled for 24–25 September.