Guest Speaker: Dr Warren Young, QSO

Trials, Tribulations and Occasional Triumphs of Criminal Justice Reform

Dr Warren Young QSO has spent his distinguished career researching, arguing for and undertaking criminal justice reform. In this lecture, he will draw on his experience to discuss the opportunities for reform in this area, and the significant obstacles that stand in its way.

Young is a former Professor of Law at Victoria University of Wellington. Since leaving academia in 2000, he has been Deputy Secretary for Justice, Deputy President of the Law Commission, a policy and law reform consultant, and most recently General Manager of the Independent Police Conduct Authority.

He has been involved in a number of major legislative reforms in criminal justice over the last 20 years, including the Sentencing and Parole Acts 2002, the Criminal Procedure Act 2011 and the Search and Surveillance Act 2012.

In 2015, Lecretia Seales went to the High Court to seek a ruling that would allow a doctor to assist her to die with her consent. Her court case initiated a national debate and helped focus a parliamentary inquiry into assisted dying. This contributed to the 2020 election referendum where voters decided whether to legalise assisted dying, known as euthanasia. If Lecretia were alive today, we know she would be proud of her efforts made to initiate the debate on this issue in Aotearoa New Zealand and to have it come to fruition. 

This milestone event is given in honour of lawyer and law reform advocate Lecretia Seales and marks the sixth anniversary of both the decision on the case and Lecretia's death.

Please register by Monday 2 August 2021.

If you are unavailable to attend in person, you can join us via Zoom and watch the lecture here. The lecture will also be recorded.