Hon. Sir Edward Taihakurei Durie KNZM
Rangitaane, Ngati Kawhata, Ngati Raukawa
After stepping down from his role as a Board Member of the Robson Hanan Trust, we are lucky enough to have Hon. Sir Taihakurei Durie as the Kaumātua of the Robson Hanan Trust and the Rethinking Crime and Punishment project.
Read more about the role of the Kaumātua.
About Sir Taihakurei Durie
Sir Taihakurei Durie has served in a wide range of jurisdictions for 34 years. He was the first Māori chief judge of the Māori Land Court and first Māori High Court Judge. He retired in December 2006.
After graduating in law, Sir Taihakurei Durie practised as a barrister and solicitor in Wellington and Tauranga. In 1974, at age 34, he was appointed to the Māori Land Court, making him the youngest appointee to a judicial office at that time.
In 1980 he became chief judge of that court and the chairperson of the Waitangi Tribunal. The Tribunal was little known then but came to pre-eminence after his appointment - beginning with the Waitara-Motuni hearing at New Plymouth from 1981. During his time as chairman of the Waitangi Tribunal, Sir Taihakurei Durie oversaw many important land claim reports which led to the Treaty of Waitangi being enshrined in law.
From 1993 he has been a member of the Electoral Commission. Sir Taihakurei Durie has also been a staunch promoter of the importance of the values and ethics of Māori research.