Lowell Goddard stands up against British MP grilling

  • Breaking
  • 12/02/2015

The New Zealand High Court judge appointed to lead a British child abuse inquiry has assured Westminster MPs she does not consider herself part of the establishment.

Justice Lowell Goddard told them there was no such thing in New Zealand.

She also dismissed allegations by a blogger that she'd been involved in a police complaint cover-up in the 1990s.

Less than two days after arriving in London, Justice Goddard was essentially faced with a televised job interview.

A panel of 11 MPs grilled her with questions, while the hopes of thousands of victims of sexual abuse were riding on her answers.

When she was asked by Home Affairs Committee Chairman Keith Vaz if she regarded herself as being part of the establishment, she shot back.

"We don't have such a thing in my country and I did have to ask carefully exactly what is meant by it so I did have to understand what I was being asked," Justice Goddard answered. "My understanding [what you are asking] is 'do I have any links into any institution or any person relevant to the subject matter of the inquiry?' And no I don't."

But the MPs were concerned Justice Goddard had yet to file a formal letter stating her interests - especially since one of two previous candidates had redrafted her letter seven times and was then forced to step down when a conflict of interest did arise.

She told the MP she was writing the letter herself and her 18 years' experience as a judge would help her finish it.

One issue Justice Goddard will have to address in the letter is a blog by Vincent Siemer.

He is a prolific critic of the New Zealand judiciary who once mocked the courts by turning up dressed as Alice in Wonderland and has been jailed twice for contempt of court.

His blog claims she abused her role as Deputy Solicitor General by stopping police from appealing a decision by former Judge Michael Lance in 1994.

These are allegations Justice Goddard denies.

"The letter of response that I then conveyed back to Superintendent McCarthy on behalf of the Solicitor General is very detailed," she says. "It sets out all his reasons. It acknowledges shortcomings in Judge Lance's approach - there is absolutely no cover up."

The MPs will now write a report on whether Justice Goddard can undertake the job, which is expected to take four years to complete.

Justice Goddard doesn't yet have a visa to work in the UK, but she was personally headhunted by the British Home Secretary, so at least that's one tricky question she won't have to answer carefully.

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source: newshub archive