It’s Judith Collins, KC, (among other things) now – and here’s hoping she has noted what happened to Sir Francis Bacon
What does Judith Collins have in common with Sir Francis Bacon? Oh – and with former Labour cabinet ministers Sir Geoffrey Palmer and Martyn Finlay?
All served as Attorney-General in their respective countries, but Sir Francis, Sir Geoffrey and Finlay also were King’s or Queen’s Counsel.
The practice of appointing KCs and QCs dates back to the late 1500s and early 1600s, with the appointment of Sir Francis Bacon. Initially, the title was known as King’s Counsel and was only bestowed upon men but during the reign of a female sovereign, it was changed to Queen’s Counsel.
And today – drum roll, please – the PM announced Judith Collins has been appointed King’s Counsel
This means she has become a Silk. That’s because a King’s or Queen’s counsel can wear silk gowns of a particular design and the award is known informally as taking silk
In the days when Collins was Minister of Police, she became known as Crusher Collins after introducing a law in 2009 which allowed the vehicles of “boy racers” to be seized and destroyed.
Reporting on the number of cars destroyed under this law in 2017, (just three), Stuff noted that the plan was to target illegal street racing, which led to crashes. Collins said the same measure should be applied to those who fled from police.
The police portfolio now is held by Mark Mitchell, who popped into the news yesterday when he applauded the graduation of Police Wing 371 at the Police College in Porirua.
At much the same time the government was announcing the passage of legislation which affects cars and motorists, but it deals with the taxing of vehicles rather than the crunching of them.
The legislation repeals the ‘Ute Tax’ and Clean Car Discount for all vehicles registered after 31 December 2023.
On the environmental front, the Cabinet as agreed to replace the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020.
And Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has delivered a speech to the New Zealand Green Building Council.
And today – drum roll, please – the PM announced Judith Collins has been appointed King’s Counsel
This means she has become a Silk. That’s because a King’s or Queen’s counsel can wear silk gowns of a particular design and the award is known informally as taking silk
In the days when Collins was Minister of Police, she became known as Crusher Collins after introducing a law in 2009 which allowed the vehicles of “boy racers” to be seized and destroyed.
Reporting on the number of cars destroyed under this law in 2017, (just three), Stuff noted that the plan was to target illegal street racing, which led to crashes. Collins said the same measure should be applied to those who fled from police.
The police portfolio now is held by Mark Mitchell, who popped into the news yesterday when he applauded the graduation of Police Wing 371 at the Police College in Porirua.
At much the same time the government was announcing the passage of legislation which affects cars and motorists, but it deals with the taxing of vehicles rather than the crunching of them.
The legislation repeals the ‘Ute Tax’ and Clean Car Discount for all vehicles registered after 31 December 2023.
On the environmental front, the Cabinet as agreed to replace the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020.
And Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has delivered a speech to the New Zealand Green Building Council.
Latest from the Beehive
15 DECEMBER 2023
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today the appointment of Attorney-General, Hon Judith Collins, as King’s Counsel.
14 DECEMBER 2023
The Government has passed legislation repealing the ‘Ute Tax’ and Clean Car Discount for all vehicles registered after 31 December 2023.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell joined Police Commissioner Andrew Coster and Wing Patron Dame Therese Walsh to applaud graduating Police Wing 371.
Cabinet has agreed to replace the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 (NPS-FM).
Data released today, showing GDP declined by 0.3 per cent in the September quarter, suggests economic conditions remain challenging, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.
Speech
New Zealand Green Building Council Speech
Announcing the appointment of Judith Collins as King’s Counsel, Christopher Luxon insisted:
“It is appropriate that the Attorney-General, as the senior law officer of the Crown, be appointed as King’s Counsel.”
The appointment was made with the Chief Justice’s concurrence.
“The Attorney-General, as first Law Officer, is recognised as a leader of the legal profession” Luxon said.
“Ms Collins’ appointment reflects her career achievements and the responsibility she holds on behalf of the Crown. I congratulate her on her appointment.”
As well as holding seven ministerial portfolios in the coalition Government, Ms Collins held a range of portfolios in the fifth National Government, including Police, Justice, Corrections and Revenue.
Before her election to Parliament in 2002, Collins was a lawyer and company director.
After being admitted to the Bar in 1981, she worked as a solicitor specialising in employment, property, commercial and tax law at a number of private firms. She formed her own firm, Judith Collins & Associates, where she was a principal between 1990 and 2000. Between 2000 and 2002, she worked as special counsel for Minter Ellison Rudd Watts.
She was Chair of the Casino Control Authority (1999-2002), served as President of the Auckland District Law Society (1998-99) and Vice-President of the New Zealand Law Society (1999-2000).
Luxon listed previous Attorneys-General who were appointed Queen’s or King’s counsel
Hon Christopher Finlayson, QC – 2012
Rt Hon Paul East, QC – 1995
Hon Dr Martyn Finlay, QC – 1973
Hon Sir Clifton Webb, QC – 1954
Hon Henry Mason, KC – 1946
And what of Francis Bacon, (22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626), the English philosopher and statesman who served as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England under King James I.
Oh, dear. His public career ended in disgrace in 1621.
Wikipedia says:
After he fell into debt, a parliamentary committee on the administration of the law charged him with 23 separate counts of corruption. His lifelong enemy, Sir Edward Coke, who had instigated these accusations, was one of those appointed to prepare the charges against the chancellor.
To the lords, who sent a committee to enquire whether a confession was really his, he replied, “My lords, it is my act, my hand, and my heart; I beseech your lordships to be merciful to a broken reed.” He was sentenced to a fine of £40,000 and committed to the Tower of London at the king’s pleasure; the imprisonment lasted only a few days and the fine was remitted by the king.
More seriously, parliament declared Bacon incapable of holding future office or sitting in parliament. He narrowly escaped undergoing degradation, which would have stripped him of his titles of nobility.
Subsequently, the disgraced viscount devoted himself to study and writing.
Point of Order is a blog focused on politics and the economy run by veteran newspaper reporters Bob Edlin and Ian Templeton
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