Following several years as a judicial JP, Pippa King became a community magistrate. Based in Mangawhai, Pippa holds court throughout Northland and Auckland. A passionate golfer when the rigours of the court or her farm chores allow, Pippa has worked with many charities including The First Tee — a youth development organisation that enables kids to build strength of character through a lifetime of new challenges by seamlessly integrating the game of golf with learning experiences that build inner strength, self confidence, and resilience that kids can carry through to everything they do. Let’s get to know Pippa King.
That’s Pip on the right, holding the Speights golf cap!
JANZ: Tell us about you and your family and why you live where you live.
Pippa King: I am fortunate to have a great partner of 22 years and two grown-up step-daughters, one works for the University of Canterbury, the other is a veterinarian. I am very proud of both of them. I also have three small grandchildren.
I live in magical Mangawhai in the mid-north on a rural property close to the beach. We jokingly refer to it as a ‘lack of lifestyle’ property as there is always something to do. More than once, I have had to shoot and bury a sick ewe before heading off to court! I love the tranquility of the rural lifestyle and the fact that I can have big gardens and a small orchard.
How did you come to be interested in law?
Being a community magistrate (CM) is my third career — the first was in tourism and took me to many interesting places around the world. I spent most of the 80s working in the USA, sending American tourists to Australia and New Zealand and then transitioned to roles back home within golf and spa tourism as a self-employed contractor. My second career was in the philanthropic sector, in governance and CEO roles with the Auckland Foundation, Sky City Community Trust, and a very cool organisation called The First Tee that teaches life skills to children through the game of golf.
The third, of course, is in the judiciary, and I joined the CM cohort after seven years on the bench as a judicial JP. I believe strongly in the concept of bringing community experience to judicial decision-making.
How was it first being appointed to the bench?
It was something of a shock really. There were three of us who did the selection training for only two roles; Steven Cole (a former police prosecutor), the amazing Leigh Langridge (25 years a defence barrister), and me, from a completely different background. I didn’t really expect to be successful but fortunately, we were all appointed and able to support each other through those early months finding our feet.
What interests do/did you enjoy outside of your job?
I have at various times been a tennis player and marathon runner, but now it’s less impactful activities like golf, yoga, and most water-based activities. Golf is top of the list at the moment and I am working hard to bring down my handicap and playing in the club pennants team. My partner and I run a small local construction company and I have a keen interest in the share market, so there isn’t much spare time.
What’s the best purchase you’ve ever made?
I bought a gorgeous nappa leather jacket in the 80s that I paid far too much for, but I have loved it and recently had it remodelled.
What’s your favourite dish to cook at home?
I love to cook for other people and my favourite kitchen appliance at the moment is my Express Cooker. It can produce amazing food in a very short time, like beautiful moist salmon in about three minutes, minus the smell!
What’s your favourite quote, and who’s it from?
The key to good decision-making is not knowledge. It is understanding. We are swimming in the former. We are desperately lacking in the latter. — Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell.
It resonates for me because I have found that sometimes there is such information overload that it just becomes noise, and I have to stop for a moment to find the essence of the subject to really get it. I also love Gladwell’s take on many things.
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve read or seen lately?
I have just finished Influence by Robert Cialdini. It’s a fascinating read about the psychology of persuasion and how we are cleverly manipulated to make particular decisions.
You represent community magistrates on the JANZ executive. Why do you think it’s important for judges to know and support each other?
Because without it we are individually and professionally isolated. Gladwell observed about what we do: “It's not how much money we make that ultimately makes us happy between nine and five. It's whether or not our work fulfills us.” Working as a community magistrate is meaningful but very demanding and often lonely mahi. Community magistrates have the opportunity to come together with colleagues once a year at best. For this reason the collegiality of judges in common rooms is highly valued, to be able to test an idea, check out a point of law, or just to relax and have a laugh — to have that connection is so important.