Current parliamentary roles

• Attorney General
• Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations
• Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage

Former parliamentary roles

• Associate Spokesperson, Treaty of Waitangi Issues and Maori Affairs (Treaty Negotiations) 26 October 2005-1 December 2006
• Associate Spokesperson, Arts, Culture & Heritage 26 October 2005-1 December 2006
• Deputy Chairperson, Justice and Electoral Committee 9 November 2005-3 October 2008

Personal details

Born 4 December 1956, Wellington

Education/qualifications

• St Benedict's, Khandallah, Wellington
• St Patrick’s College, Wellington
• BA in Latin, Victoria University of Wellington, 1980
• LLM, Victoria University of Wellington, 1984
• LTCL in Speech and Drama

Career

• Published author, various legal subjects
• Founding editor, Procedure Reports of New Zealand
• Extensive experience before tribunals, local authorities, NZ Courts and Privy Council
• Admitted to bar, February 1981
• Partner, Brandon Brookfield 1986-1990
• Former Lecturer, LLB and LLM degrees, Law Faculty, Victoria University of Wellington 1987-2002
• Law Society representative, New Zealand Council of Law Reporting 1990-1998
• Partner, Bell Gully 1991-2003
• Law Society representative, New Zealand Council of Legal Education 1992-1998
• Law Society representative, High Court Rules Committee 1999-2005
• Barrister 2003-

Community activities

• Former Trustee, various arts organisations
• Trustee, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Foundation
• Trustee, Theatre Arts Charitable Trust
• Appointed to Arts Board, Creative New Zealand 1995-2001
• Chairperson, Arts Board 1998-2001

Party activities

• Member, National Party 1974-
• Acted for Chief Whip, Geoff Grant MP, in application to remove Winston Peters from Caucus 1992
• Member, Rules Committee, National Party 1997-2001
• Regional Chairperson, Lower North Island 2001-2003
• Electorate Chairperson, Mana Electorate 2003-2005
• Policy Chairperson, National Party 2002-2005