Abstract
Justice Joe Williams will present a Treasury Gest Lecture as part of E Tipu E Rea on the Treaty of Waitangi, its present implications, the Crown-Māori relationship more generally and the future ahead for iwi, the Crown and for New Zealand in a post-settlement era. Accomplished, respected and passionate, there are few better qualified to give this lecture than Justice Williams. For public servants, academics and as people who want to work in and understand Māori areas of law, this lecture will provide insight into te ao Māori and mātauranga Māori from a legal perspective that enables a better understanding of Māori issues as the Māori population and economy grows.
Biography
Justice Joe Williams became acting chair of the Waitangi Tribunal in 1999 and formally chaired the tribunal from 2004 to 2009, when he was appointed a High Court Judge. Before this he had been a lawyer representing claimants at a number of tribunal inquiries. He is an internationally recognised expert in indigenous rights law and one of New Zealand's leading specialists in Māori issues. As well as being the youngest person to have been appointed chief judge to the Māori Land urt, he was the first Māori lecturer in law at Victoria University in Wellington and he established the first unit specialising in Māori issues at a major law firm. Justice Williams gained his law degree at Victoria University and his masters from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. He remains determined to ensure that Māori value systems are recognised within the judicial system.
Note: Papers, presentation slides and any other material provided by the Guest Lecturer will be made available some time after the lecture at Publications > Media & Speeches > Guest Lectures by Visiting Academics.