New court symbolises NZ's core values
The opening of the Supreme Court building was an important occasion for New Zealand, Chief Justice Dame Sian Elias said at the opening ceremony on 18 January.
Commenting just before Prince William formally opened the new building, Dame Sian noted that the Queen had shown an interest in the court from its creation. She had then sent a "magnificent" silver inkwell, part of the Royal Treasury.
"Two such inkwells are placed before the judges of the Privy Council whenever they sit to advise the monarch on petitions for justice, as they did on appeals from New Zealand for 165 years.
"The display of the inkwell in this new courtroom symbolises links that endure and a heritage of which we are proud," Dame Sian said.
The Queen’s inkwell was matched with a "beautiful wakahuia" lent by Te Papa. "The two taonga represent the two strands of our original heritage," Dame Sian said.
"The Supreme Court, like any court, is not a building. Nor is it simply made up of the judges and court staff who occupy office today. They serve an idea which is greater than the sum of the built and living parts of today’s court.
"It is the aspiration of justice under law, which prompted the creation of the court. And it is in response to the aspiration that this government, the government that preceded it and the people of New Zealand they represent have incurred the substantial cost of providing a permanent home for the court, within the government precinct in our capital.
"That this cost has been undertaken at a time of financial strain is a measure of the value placed on our institutions. It is trust by the wider community of which the judges of the court are conscious and deeply appreciative."
In his address following Dame Sian’s, Prime Minister John Key underscored the significance of the Supreme Court now having a permanent home.
"One of the key reasons that this country works so well is that we have a reliable and effective judicial branch of government," he said.
The opening was "enormously important" for the senior members of the judiciary, who finally had a permanent home. It was significant also for the whole country.
"This building, like the Beehive and Parliament Buildings, is very important to New Zealand’s sense of national identity and our international reputation.
"What happens in these buildings both represents and affects New Zealanders. In my view, the buildings themselves can and do symbolise the core values of this country – values such as fairness, justice, democracy, and an absolute rejection of corruption," he said.
LawTalk 743, 1 February 2010