New Chief Commissioner of Criminal Cases Review Commission appointed

Colin Carruthers QC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of the CCRC for an 18-month term, effective from 1 February 2020, and will play a critical role in the establishment of the CCRC.

Justice Minister Andrew Little and New Zealand First MP Darroch Ball, have today announced the appointment of the Chief Commissioner of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), the location, and the membership of the Establishment Advisory Group.

Colin Carruthers QC has been appointed Chief Commissioner of the CCRC for an 18-month term, effective from 1 February 2020, and will play a critical role in the establishment of the CCRC.

"Mr. Carruthers brings a significant amount of mana and credibility to the role, having practiced as a senior barrister in both defense and prosecution roles," Andrew Little says.

"I am also pleased to announce that the CCRC will be based in Hamilton. As with CCRCs in England and Scotland, it is important the NZCCRC is independent of the big bureaucratic and judicial centers, Auckland and Wellington

"Establishing the CCRC was a commitment in the Labour New Zealand First Coalition agreement," Andrew Little says.

"New Zealand First is proud to see the foundations being laid for the CCRC. This is a good sign for our justice system and looks forward to furthering progress," says Darroch Ball New Zealand First spokesperson for Justice

Mr. Carruthers will be supported by an Establishment Advisory Group, which will provide advice on the CCRC's design to ensure consistency with the legislation. The Establishment Advisory Group members are:

Professor Tracey McIntosh – Professor of Indigenous Studies and Co-Head of Te Wānanga o Waipapa (School of Māori Studies and Pacific Studies) at the University of Auckland

Nigel Hampton CNZM, OBE, QC – internationally-applauded criminal defense lawyer

Professor Elisabeth McDonald – Professor of Criminal Law, Evidence and Procedure at the University of Canterbury

Dr. Anna Sandiford - Senior Forensic Science Consultant and Director of The Forensic Group Ltd

Dr. Tamasailau Suaalii-Sauni – Associate professor of Criminology at the University of Auckland

Tim McKinnel – investigator and previously a detective with New Zealand PoliceThe CCRC will begin receiving applications for review of convictions and sentences when it becomes operational on 1 July 2020.

(With Inputs from New Zealand Government Press Release)