The NZ Centre for Public Law publishes occasional papers. Generally, the papers are based on public lectures given at the Centre. The papers are published in hard-copy and some are also available electronically.
To purchase a copy of one of these publications, or to enquire please contact the Centre Administrator:
Phone: +64 4 463 6327
Email: nzcpl@vuw.ac.nz
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"Interpreting Treaties, Statutes and Contracts"
May 2009
KJ Keith
Occasional Paper 19
In this paper, Sir Kenneth Keith draws on his years of teaching, law reform work and judging and considers the process of interpreting treaties, constitutions, statutes, contracts and other legal instruments.
Courts and tribunals, lawyers in private and public practice and legal scholars have long been engaged in the interpretative process. Legislative bodies have also long been in the business of proposing and adopting rules or principles of, and approaches to, interpretation. This paper considers parts of those two enterprises. First, how do interpreters go about their task? Secondly, do formally adopted codifications or statements of the processes, principles and rules assist the processes of interpretation? Finally, whether interpreters and codifiers concerned with one type of legal document can usefully draw on the experience of interpreting other types is addressed.
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"Law Reform & the Law Commission in New Zealand after 20 Years – We Need to Try a Little Harder"
Sir Geoffrey Palmer
Occasional Paper 18 This paper is based on an address to the NZ Centre for Public Law last year, as part of the Public Office Holder Lecture Series. The paper discusses the nature of the New Zealand Law Commission and law reform in New Zealand. It discusses post-modern philosophical approaches to law that pose obstacles for statutes and law reform projects, and makes a number of suggests about the presentation and accessibility of legislation.
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"The Official Information Act - A Window on Government or Curtains Drawn?"
Steven Price
Occasional Paper 17
Text from a lecture given in November 2005.
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"The Case that Stopped the Coup? The Rule of Law in Fiji"
Professor George Williams
Occasional Paper 15
Transcript of the 2003 'Quentin-Baxter Memorial Trust Lecture' lecture delivered at the Law School on 27 November 2003 by George Williams, Anthony Mason Professor and Director, Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law, University New South Wales.
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"Establishing the Ground Rules in International Law: Where to from here?"
Bill Mansfield
Occasional Paper 14
The work of the International Law Commission at its 54th session, 2002.
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"Hong Kong's Legal System: The Final Court of Appeal"
Hon Mr Justice Bokhary PJ
Occasional Paper 13
Transcript of a lecture delivered at the Law School on 6 November 2002 by the Hon. Mr Justice Bokhary PJ, a Permanent Judge of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal.
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"Democracy through Law"
Occasional Paper 12
Lord Johan Steyn Text from a lecture given in September 2002.
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"Tradition and Innovation in a Law Reform Agency"
Occasional Paper 11
Hon J Bruce Robertson
Text from a lecture given in July 2002.
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"2002: A Justice Oddessey"
Occasional Paper 10
Kim Economides Text from a lecture given April 2002.
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"Terrorism Legislation and the Human Rights Act 1998"
Occasional Paper 9
Anthony Lester QC
Text from a lecture given April 2002.
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"Parliamentary Scrutiny of Legislation Under the Human Rights Act 1998"
Occasional Paper 8
Anthony Lester QC
Text from a lecture given April 2002.
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"Final Appeal Courts: Some Comparisons"
Occasional Paper 7
Lord Cooke of Thorndon Text of a lecture given on 12 December 2001.
Lord Cooke, discusses recent lectures by American Judges on the United States Supreme Courts, making his own comparisons with New Zealand Final Appeals Courts and other judicial systems around the globe.
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"The Role of the Govenor General"
Occasional Paper 6
Dame Silvia Cartwright, Former New Zealand Governor General
Text of a lecture given on 8th October 2001.
Dame Silvia Cartwright traverses some of the historical developments relating to the office of Governor-General, discussing the many significant changes since 1840, and reflecting on how these changes will help inform our view of the Role at the beginning of thew 21st Century.
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"The Role of the Secretary of Cabinet - The View from the Beehive"
Occasional Paper 5
Marie Shroff, Secretary of the Cabinet
Text of a lecture given on 31st July 2001.
Marie Shroff discusses the history of the Secretary to the Cabinet position, and also her experience in the roles as Secretary to the Cabinet and Clerk of the Executive Council.
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"The Maori Land Court - A Separate Legal System?"
Occasional Paper 4
Chief Judge Joe Williams
Text of a lecture given on 10th July 2001.
Chief Judge Joe Williams describes the extent to which Maori Land Court has (or has not) become a separate legal system as well as raising some issues regarding the future.
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"Legislature v Executive - The Struggle Continues"
Occasional Paper 3
Hon Doug Kidd
Text from a lecture given on 18th May 2001. Hon Doug Kidd discusses observations on the work of the powerful Regulations Review Committee.
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"The Role of the Law Commission"
Occasional Paper 2
Justice David Baragwanath,
Former President of the Law Commission Text from a lecture given 27 March 2001. Justice Baragwanath reflects on his time as President of the Law Commission.
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"Workways of the United States Supreme Court"
Occasional Paper 1
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Text from a lecture given on 8 February 2001.
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