Inaugural Singapore-New Zealand Judicial Roundtable
Chief Justice Helen Winkelmann of New Zealand and Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon of Singapore, along with senior judges from both countries, met in Auckland on Friday 7 February for the inaugural Singapore-New Zealand Judicial Roundtable.
The roundtable was a chance to share information on the initiatives underway in each jurisdiction and to consider new approaches, as the courts consider emerging challenges and opportunities, Chief Justice Winkelmann said today.
“The New Zealand judiciary is better placed to meet challenges and to make the most of opportunities if we can share what we know between jurisdictions. The Singapore judiciary is extremely generous with their knowledge and experience on a range of issues. For example, we have learned a great deal from their experiences adopting technology into the courts, particularly in the area of AI.”
The judges discussed four topics of mutual interest: access to justice, climate change, technology, and judicial wellness.
Chief Justice Winkelmann led a discussion on access to justice, speaking about the barriers people in New Zealand face to having their legal needs met – particularly in civil justice – and some of the initiatives underway to reduce these barriers.
Chief Justice Menon led a discussion on climate change litigation, exploring the potential for a bespoke model of justice for climate disputes and highlighting the importance of international judicial collaboration in this area.
Also representing the Supreme Court of Singapore were Justice Valerie Thean, Justice Aidan Xu and Judicial Commissioner Alex Wong. Justice Stephen Kós, Justice David Goddard and Justice Christian Whata represented the New Zealand judiciary.
The roundtable will be held again next year, and every two years thereafter.