Summary
Sir Edward Taihakurei Durie KNZM (born 18 January 1940) is a New Zealand jurist who served on the High Court of New Zealand between 1998 and 2004. He was the first Māori appointed as a judge of a New Zealand court.
The Honourable Sir Eddie Durie | |
|---|---|
 Durie in 2008 | |
| Justice of the High Court | |
| In office 1998–2004 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Edward Taihakurei Durie 18 January 1940 |
| Spouse | Donna Hall |
| Children | 1 |
Career edit
Durie graduated with a BA and an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1964.
Durie was appointed a judge in 1974 and then was the Chief Judge of the Māori Land Court from 1980–1998, Chairman of the Waitangi Tribunal from 1980–2004, and a Law Commissioner. In 1998 he was appointed to the High Court of New Zealand. He retired from the High Court in 2004, at which point he was the longest-serving member of the New Zealand judiciary.[1][2]
In 2009, Durie was appointed by Attorney-General Chris Finlayson to chair the Ministerial taskforce on the Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004.[3]
In 2012, Durie was elected to the Maori Council and elected co-chair, a role he held until being appointed the sole chair of the national body in April 2016.[4]
Honours and awards edit
In 1977, Durie was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal, and in 1990 he received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.[5] In the 2008 New Year Honours, Durie was appointed a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the Maori Land Court, Waitangi Tribunal and High Court of New Zealand.[6] In 2009, following the reinstatement of titular honours by the New Zealand government, he accepted redesignation as a Knight Companion of New Zealand Order of Merit.[7]
Durie holds honorary doctorates from Victoria University of Wellington,[8] Massey University[9] and the University of Waikato.[10]
Personal life edit
Durie is of Rangitāne, Ngāti Kauwhata and Ngāti Raukawa descent. The community leader John Mason Durie (1889–1971) was his grandfather,[11] and he is the younger brother of Māori academic, Professor Sir Mason Durie. Durie is married to lawyer Donna Hall who operates a law firm, Woodward, from their home in Lower Hutt.[citation needed]
On 13 April 2002, Durie's 8-month-old adopted daughter Kahurautete ('Kahu') was kidnapped at gunpoint in Lower Hutt and held for $3 million ransom.[12] Kahu was found by police eight days later, 660 kilometres (410 mi) away in Taumarunui.[13] The kidnapper was sentenced to eleven years imprisonment and released after serving seven years.[14] The kidnapping was the subject of the 2010 film Stolen: The Baby Kahu Story in which Eddie Durie was played by George Henare.[15]
References edit
- ^ "Production Shed – Justice Durie". productionshed.tv. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- ^ "Complete list of all Judges – Māori Land Court". justice.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 4 May 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- ^ "New Zealand Law Society". Archived from the original on 22 May 2010. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
- ^ "Waatea News | Podcasts". Archived from the original on 26 January 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- ^ Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 129. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
- ^ "New Year honours list 2008". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2007. Archived from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- ^ "Special honours list 1 August 2009". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 5 April 2011. Archived from the original on 14 August 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
- ^ "Honorary graduates and Hunter fellowships". wgtn.ac.nz. Victoria University of Wellington. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "Te Aute leaders 1st XV celebrated". massey.ac.nz. Massey University. 10 November 2009. Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- ^ "Honorary Doctors of the University of Waikato". Calendar: University of Waikato. Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
- ^ Durie, Mason; Durie, Meihana. "Rangitāne – 20th and 21st centuries: survival and adaptation". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 15 August 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
- ^ "NZ judge's baby girl abducted". News 24. 14 April 2002. Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
- ^ "Baby Kahu Found Safe And Well". Scoop. 21 April 2002. Archived from the original on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
- ^ "Kidnapper set for freedom as victim turns eight". Stuff. 1 August 2009. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
- ^ "Parents of kidnapped baby Kahu angry over TV drama". The New Zealand Herald. 29 July 2010. Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2014.