Glad to be nation's most-sued person

The new Attorney General, Chris Finlayson, reading the oath of office during the swearing-in ceremony. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Thirty years after he first began to hanker for it, Christopher Finlayson has reached his goal of becoming "the most-sued person in the realm".

The former lawyer recalls first being interested in the post of Attorney-General when Jim McLay was appointed to the job in 1978. Mr Finlayson was then a student at law school and chairman of the Karori Young Nationals.

"I've always thought it was a really interesting job. As I've got involved in law more and more, you see that the poor old Attorney-General is the most-sued person in the realm and you see the sort of responsibilities he or she has.

"It's an ancient office and it has huge responsibilities. I regard it as, frankly, the highlight of my career to get the job."

Now 51, he gave up the chance to become a Queen's Counsel by pursuing that dream - entering Parliament in 2005.

Yesterday, he was also sworn in as Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations and - an added bonus for the arts patron - as Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage.

He has also become the only second term MP on National's front bench in Parliament.

Yet while the front bench is prime real estate for most politicians with ambition, Mr Finlayson is more sanguine. Where he sat in the debating chamber was of secondary importance to the portfolios he was given.

Ahead of him lies the goal of completing the Treaty claims process, a job he says he will pursue with vigour. A former lawyer for Ngai Tahu in its negotiations with the Crown, he was astonished at the lack of progress made on settlements under Labour until Michael Cullen took the portfolio.

He credits the rapid progress in the past 14 months to Dr Cullen and intends to keep that momentum going to meet National's policy of settling all historical grievances by 2014.

It's a hefty workload; two claimant iwi are in pre-negotiations and 12 are in negotiations for agreements in principle. A further 12 are awaiting finalised settlement agreements.

To get through it, National's policy includes boosting resources for the Waitangi Tribunal to allow it to sit fulltime, streamlining its processes, appointing independent "facilitators" to advise iwi and speeding up legislation.

Although the details are yet to be sorted through, Mr Finlayson is also likely to have a role in the review of the Foreshore and Seabed Act - a law he has previously described as discriminatory and unfair - and of the Maori seats, promised under National's agreement with the Maori Party.