First wāhine Māori to lead Māori Land Court

Caren Fox

Caren Fox (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata) has been appointed Chief Judge of the Māori Land Court.

She is the first wāhine Māori to be appointed to the position.

Associate Minister of Māori Development Nanaia Mahuta, who announced the appointment, said Judge Fox continued to shatter glass ceilings by becoming not only the first Māori woman judge to serve on the Maori Land Court, but now the first wāhine officially appointed to the office of the Chief Judge of the land court.

“I want to congratulate Judge Fox on her appointment as Chief Judge Māori Land Court after many years of service, including during a period of modernising Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993,” Nanaia Mahuta said.

“This is a monumental achievement for Māori women whose leadership continues to broaden perspectives across the judiciary.

“I want to acknowledge Judge Fox for the service she has provided to the Māori Land Court over the past 23 years, and as a member of the Waitangi Tribunal. Her wealth of experience positions her well for this new role.”

Judge Fox has been acting Chief Judge for the Māori Land Court since April 30.

In 2000, Judge Fox was the first Māori woman appointed to the Māori Land Court serving in both Te Tairāwhiti and Waiariki districts, before being promoted to Deputy Chief Judge in 2010.

“Judge Fox, who has whakapapa links to Ngāti Porou and Rongowhakaata, brings with her a wealth of knowledge which she demonstrates through te reo me ōna tikanga Māori, in-depth understanding of te Tiriti o Waitangi, as well as significant experience she has gained through her work in the judicial sector and leadership roles,” Ms Mahuta said.

“I wish incoming Chief Judge Fox all the best in her new role.”

Judge Fox replaces Judge Wilson Isaac (Ngāti Porou, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu) who was appointed to the Māori Land Court in March 1994, was appointed as Deputy Chief Judge of the Māori Land Court in 1999 and the Chief Judge of the Māori Land Court, and chair of the Waitangi Tribunal on August 13, 2009.

Judge Fox has been one of the resident Judges for the Tairāwhiti District of the Māori Land Court, hearing cases in Gisborne.

Chief Judge Fox was previously a lecturer in law at Victoria University and a senior lecturer in law and director of graduate studies at the University of Waikato. She has acted as legal counsel for treaty claimants and Māori land clients. She holds a Masters of Law and a PhD covering the Ngāti Porou legal system.

A specialist in international human rights, Chief Judge Fox was a Harkness Fellow to the US from 1991 to 1992 and a Pacific Fellow in Human Rights Education employed by the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation 1997-1999. For her work in human rights she won the NZ Human Rights Commission 2000 Millennium Medal.

She has also been the presiding officer for the Waitangi Tribunal on the aquaculture claims, the Te Arawa mandate and settlement claims, Central North Island Stage 1 claims, the Te Kōhanga Reo claims and the Te Rohe Pōtae claims. She is currently the presiding officer for the Porirua ki Manawatu claims and the Constitutional Kaupapa Inquiry.

Chief Judge Fox was also appointed as an Alternate Environment Court Judge in 2009.

She will be sworn in as Chief Judge of the Māori Land Court  next month.