From the President Paul Radich QC*
Kia ora koutou, Well, that was quite a year. With a few exceptions, I think we all pushed personal boundaries and opened ourselves to new experiences: working from home, assembling and managing new technology, working with clients, opposing counsel and judges (and remote family members) through videoconferencing, taking afternoon family strolls through deserted streets, expanding (or learning) cooking skills, discovering a range of local places and businesses to support, and then reaching the last sector of the year at a sprint as cases, adjourned during the lockdown, landed hard up among existing fixtures. I don’t know about you, but I’m close to being out of puff. But it’s been quite an experience and, while the year has had such harsh health and financial consequences for so many, we shouldn’t let go of the good things we have discovered; how we can spend more time with our families without compromising work outcomes; how we can connect with friends and family around the globe through our devices as often as we wish; and how much we have come to appreciate the simple things in life. Equally, the Ministry of Justice and the Courts shouldn’t let go of the giant leaps that were made with the use of technology. We are all but ready to use the likes of Microsoft Teams and related products, not just for video hearings where appropriate, but for filing and sharing court documents and evidence. The summer break might be a good time, once we’ve caught our breaths, to think of ways in which we can integrate some of our new skills with some of our old. We are just lucky to have the freedom of movement to do that. As an overseas friend commented recently, “New Zealand is like a fairytale”. And so, in a comparative way, it is. But we mustn’t forget how very hard this time of year is for so many people and their families. One in five children in New Zealand live in relative poverty (after deduction of housing costs from household income). A simple donation through one of our charities can bring joy and appreciation that is out of all proportion to anything we might have experienced for quite some time. The NZBA gave that some thought. Instead of sending out Christmas cards this year, on behalf of our members and all those involved with the Association, we have donated the amount that we would spend on buying, writing and posting cards, to the KidsCan charity. As the charity itself says, education can be a ticket out of poverty and KidsCan tries to break the poverty cycle by levelling the playing field. It gives families that are struggling the same opportunities for learning as others. End of the Year Collegiality I visited different parts of the country over the last two weeks as I attended drinks functions in Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington, Tauranga, and Auckland. As you will see from the photo on this page, visiting Tauranga was something of a struggle. It really is a special place. Unfortunately, due to a timetable clash, I couldn’t be at the drinks function in Hamilton, but I’m looking forward to being there early in the New Year – perhaps for a lunch event. Thank you to those who joined us at these events. We enjoyed seeing you all, along with members of the judiciary and sponsor representatives from MAS, Marsh and LexisNexis. More than anything,
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