Supreme Court judge to lead terror attack Royal Commission
8 APRIL 2019 PĀNUI PĀPĀHO
MEDIA STATEMENT
Prime
Minister Jacinda Ardern today released the terms of
reference for the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the
Christchurch terror attack and announced Supreme Court
Justice Sir William Young as its chair.
“The Government will ensure no stone is left unturned as we examine as quickly as possible how the March 15 attack happened, what could have been done to stop it and how we can keep New Zealanders safe,” Jacinda Ardern said.
“The Royal Commission plays a critical role in our ongoing response to fully understand what happened in the lead up to the attack and to ensure such an attack never happens again.
“The Commission will look at:
• The individual’s
activities before the attack, including:
•
Relevant information from his time in Australia;
•
His arrival and residence in New Zealand;
• His
travel within New Zealand, and internationally;
•
How he obtained a gun licence, weapons and
ammunition;
• His use of social media and other
online media;
• His connections with others,
whether in New Zealand or internationally;
•
What relevant state sector agencies knew about this
individual and his activities before this attack; what
actions (if any) they took in light of that knowledge; and
whether there were any additional measures that the agencies
could have taken to prevent the attack;
•
Whether there were any impediments to relevant state sector
agencies gathering or sharing information relevant to the
attack, or acting upon such information, including
legislative impediments, and
• Whether there
was any inappropriate concentration or priority setting of
counter terrorism resources by relevant state sector
agencies prior to this attack.
“Justice Young, who is a sitting Judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand – New Zealand’s highest court – has the extensive experience and skills required to lead the Inquiry.
“I am confident
that in his nearly nine years as a judge on our highest
bench, Justice Young has the judgement, clarity and care to
do the job, with a sound understanding of intelligence
issues and experience working in the public eye.
“The
Commission has been tasked to engage with New Zealand’s
Muslim community, including appointing qualified people to
help with effective consultation.
“The Royal Commission
will be established by Order in Council this Wednesday,
April 10.
“It is scheduled to start considering
evidence from May 13 and is expected to report back to the
Governor General Dame Patsy Reddy within eight months – by
December 10,” Jacinda Ardern said.
The Commission will
have a budget of $8.2 million and one further member will be
appointed by the end of April.
Notes to
editor:
• More details on the Royal Commission
are online [link live at 4pm]
[Scoop copy of terms of reference: TORfortheRoyalCommissionintotheAttackonChristchurchMosques.pdf]
Justice William Young
biography:
• Justice William Young graduated
with an LLB (Hons) from the University of Canterbury and
later gained a doctorate from Cambridge University. He
worked in a law office in Christchurch before taking up
practice as a barrister in crime, civil, commercial and tax
litigation, acting latterly for, among others, the New
Zealand Serious Fraud Office and the New Zealand
Commissioner of Inland Revenue.
• He was
appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 1991, to the High Court in
1997, and to the Court of Appeal in January 2004. Justice
Young become President of the Court of Appeal in February
2006.
• In June 2007, Justice Young was awarded
the DCNZM (Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order
of Merit) for services as President of the Court of Appeal
of New Zealand. Justice Young was designated a knight
companion of that order in 2009.
• Justice
Young was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court with effect
from 1 July 2010. He is an honorary Bencher of the Middle
Temple and an honorary Fellow of Gonville and Caius College,
Cambridge.
ends