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Eddie Durie

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The Honourable
Sir Eddie Durie
KNZM
Durie in 2008
Justice of the High Court
In office
1998–2004
Personal details
Born
Edward Taihakurei Durie

(1940-01-18) 18 January 1940 (age 84)
SpouseDonna Hall
Children1

Sir Edward Taihakurei Durie KNZM (born 18 January 1940) is Chair of the Māori Council and was the first Māori appointed as a Judge of a New Zealand Court. He is regarded as leading legal expert on the Treaty of Waitangi. He is of Rangitāne, Ngāti Kauwhata and Ngāti Raukawa descent; Mason Durie (1889–1971) was his grandfather.[1]

Early life and education

He graduated with a BA and an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1964. He holds honorary doctorates from Victoria University of Wellington, Massey University and the University of Waikato.[citation needed]

Career

Durie was appointed a Judge in 1974 and then was the Chief Judge of the Māori Land Court from 1980–1998, Chairman of the Waitangi Tribunal from 1980–2004, and a Law Commissioner. In 1998 he was appointed to the High Court. He retired from the High Court in 2004, at which point he was the longest-serving member of the New Zealand judiciary.[2][3]

In 2009, Durie was appointed by Attorney-General Chris Finlayson to chair the Ministerial taskforce on the Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004.[4]

In 2012, Durie was elected to the Maori Council and elected co-chair, a role he held until being appointed the sole chair of the national body in April 2016.[5]

Honours and awards

In 1977, Durie was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal, and in 1990 he received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.[6] In the 2008 New Year Honours, Durie was appointed a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the Maori Land Court, Waitangi Tribunal and High Court of New Zealand.[7] In 2009, following the reinstatement of titular honours by the New Zealand government, he accepted redesignation as a Knight Companion of New Zealand Order of Merit.[8]

Personal life

Durie is married to prominent Maori lawyer Donna Hall.[9] He is the younger brother of renowned Māori academic, Professor Sir Mason Durie.

On 13 April 2002, Durie's 8-month-old adopted daughter Kahurautete ('Kahu') was kidnapped at gunpoint in Lower Hutt and held for $3 million ransom.[10] Kahu was found by police eight days later, 660 kilometres (410 mi) away in Taumarunui.[11] The kidnapper was sentenced to eleven years imprisonment and released after serving seven years.[12] The kidnapping was the subject of the 2010 film Stolen: The Baby Kahu Story in which Eddie Durie was played by George Henare.[13]

References

  1. ^ Durie, Mason; Durie, Meihana. "Rangitāne – 20th and 21st centuries: survival and adaptation". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  2. ^ "Production Shed – Justice Durie". www.productionshed.tv. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  3. ^ "Complete list of all Judges — Māori Land Court". www.justice.govt.nz. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  4. ^ "New Zealand Law Society". Archived from the original on 22 May 2010. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  5. ^ "Waatea News | Podcasts". Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  6. ^ Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 129. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
  7. ^ "New Year honours list 2008". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2007. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  8. ^ "Special honours list 1 August 2009". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 5 April 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  9. ^ "Kidnapper set for freedom as victim turns eight". Stuff. 1 August 2009.
  10. ^ "NZ judge's baby girl abducted". News 24. 14 April 2002.
  11. ^ "Baby Kahu Found Safe And Well". Scoop. 21 April 2002.
  12. ^ "Kidnapper set for freedom as victim turns eight". Stuff. 1 August 2009.
  13. ^ "Parents of kidnapped baby Kahu angry over TV drama". The New Zealand Herald. 29 July 2010.
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