Law alumni shine in New Year Honours
Victoria Law alumni feature prominently in the 2017 New Year Honours, including the Deputy Chairperson of the New Zealand Parole Board, the former head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, and one of the country’s longest-serving judges.
Three of the 10 new Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit are graduates of Victoria’s law school.
Justice Marion Frater, who since 2007 has been Deputy Chairperson of the New Zealand Parole Board, received the honour for services to the judiciary.
Her work at the Parole Board has involved deciding whether to release prisoners involved in some of New Zealand’s most high-profile, and harrowing, crimes – from child sex offender Alf Vincent, the country’s longest-serving prisoner, to Lisa Kuka, the mother of murdered Rotorua toddler Nia Glassie.
Justice Frater graduated with an LLB (Hons) from Victoria in 1972.
David Howman spent 13 years in Montreal, Canada, as Director General of the World Anti-Doping Agency, and received the honour for services to sport.
He has been one of the world’s most prominent voices in the fight against cheating and corruption in sport, tackling issues such as the Lance Armstrong scandal and state-sponsored doping in Russia. His international diplomacy has been described as “instrumental in convincing governments to fund the fight against doping.”
Mr. Howman graduated with a BA and LLB (Hons) from Victoria in 1970.
Justice Patrick Keane is one of New Zealand’s longest-serving judges, retiring in 2016 as a Judge of the High Court after 27 years on the bench, and received his honour for services to the judiciary.
He is regarded as an expert in judgment writing in New Zealand and Australia, known for writing “particularly elegant, informative and highly readable judgments”.
Justice Keane graduated with a BA and an LLB (Hons) from Victoria, in 1968 and 1970 respectively.
Further, honorary Doctor of Laws recipient and former Wellington Mayor Fran Wilde was made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the State and the community.
Prior to her mayoralty (1992-1995), she was the MP for Wellington Central, entering Parliament in 1981. She is best known for pushing through the 1986 homosexual law reform bill, which ended the criminal persecution of gay men in New Zealand.
Dame Fran was awarded an honorary LLD by Victoria in 2004.
Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Law, Professor Mark Hickford, congratulated those recognised in the New Year Honours.
“The many and varied successes of Victoria Law graduates are a great point of pride for this Faculty, and we’re delighted to have our alumni so well represented in the 2017 New Year Honours.
“At our December graduation ceremony last month, I spoke to the graduands about their responsibility to use their talents for the benefit of society, and urged them to recognise – regardless of their chosen field – the importance of the contribution they can make.
“I’m grateful to the honourees above, and to our wider alumni community, for providing such a rich example of what our current students and recent graduates can aspire to.”