VZCZCXRO3946
RR RUEHAP RUEHNZ
DE RUEHWL #0049/01 0572246
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 262246Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5762
INFO RUEHAP/AMEMBASSY APIA 0542
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 5455
RUEHNZ/AMCONSUL AUCKLAND 1920
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0148

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 WELLINGTON 000049 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
BRUCE RASHKOW (USUN/MR) AND MARK SIMONOFF (USUN/L) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KUNR AORC APER PREL UNGA NZ
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND RESPONSE TO ACTION REQUEST: FIFTH 
COMMITTEE VOTE ON JUDICIAL POSITIONS 
 
REF: SECSTATE 16118 
 
¶1.  (SBU) In response to reftel action request, on February 
24 Poloff met with Nik Kiddle, Deputy Director of the United 
Nations, Human Rights and Commonwealth Division of the New 
Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), to 
discuss the candidacy of Judge Coral Shaw of New Zealand for 
the United Nations Dispute Tribunal (UNDT). 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Kiddle provided Poloff with Judge Shaw's CV and a 
dip note advocating Judge Shaw's candidacy.  The contents of 
those documents follow.  Post has no other information 
concerning Judge Shaw. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) New Zealand's dip note advocating Judge Shaw's 
candidacy follows: 
 
The Permanent Mission of New Zealand to the United Nations 
presents its compliments to the Permanent Missions of Member 
States to the United Nations and has the honour to attach the 
curriculum vitae of Judge Coral Shaw, a New Zealand 
Employment Court Judge recommended by the Internal Justice 
Council as a candidate for one of the two half-time judicial 
positions on the United Nations Dispute Tribunal. 
 
Judge Shaw has considerable experience in the arbitration of 
employment disputes, being one of four specialist New Zealand 
Employment Court Judges who hear appeals from the New Zealand 
Employment Relations Authority.  She is Patron of the New 
Zealand Refugee Council, and served as Director of the 
International Association of Women Judges from 1994 to 2005. 
In addition to her extensive experience, Judge Shaw would 
bring an independent and practical approach to the work of 
the United Nations Dispute Tribunal. 
 
Judge Shaw is the sole New Zealand candidate recommended by 
the Internal Justice Council.  The Government of New Zealand 
would highly appreciate the valuable support of Member States 
to the United Nations for Judge Shaw,s candidature. 
 
The Permanent Mission of New Zealand to the United Nations 
takes this opportunity to renew to the Permanent Missions of 
Member States to the United Nations the assurances of its 
highest consideration. 
 
Permanent Mission of New Zealand to the United Nations 
NEW YORK 
20 February 2009 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Judge Shaw's CV follows: 
 
Coral Shaw (New Zealand) 
 
Date of Birth: 23 July 1947 
 
Present Position: Judge of the New Zealand Employment Court 
 
Education: 
--1981 Bachelor of Laws, majoring in international law, 
University of Auckland 
--1968-9 Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and English, 
University of Canterbury, New Zealand. Diploma of Teaching 
 
Legal Experience: 
 
Since 1999 Judge of the New Zealand Employment Court-- one of 
four Employment Court judges in New Zealand.  The Court has 
exclusive jurisdiction over employment disputes.  It hears 
appeals from the Employment Relations Authority by way of de 
novo hearing. Such cases include claims for: 
--unjustified dismissal, 
--unjustified disadvantage in employment including bullying, 
--discrimination on the grounds of age, gender, race, 
religion and union membership. 
--disputes about the interpretation and enforcement of 
collective and individual employment agreements. 
The court also has first instance jurisdiction over 
--strikes and lockouts, 
--judicial review of statutory decisions under employment 
legislation. 
 
1992 * 1999 A District Court Judge with general criminal and 
civil jurisdiction including criminal jury trials. 
Established a family violence intervention programme and a 
community based restorative justice programme for urban Maori 
community. 
 
WELLINGTON 00000049  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
1984* 1999 Barrister and Solicitor and then senior common 
law partner.  Specialising in employment law, administrative 
law and immigration/refugee law.  Appeared in a wide range of 
employment cases at all levels up to the then final Court of 
Appeal of New Zealand as well as before the Human Rights 
Tribunal and the Refugee Status Appeals Authority. 
 
1981 * 1984 Law clerk and Crown Prosecutor with Crown 
Solicitors, Auckland.  Experience in social welfare, 
immigration and justice department prosecutions.  Appeared in 
criminal appeals, criminal jury trials and administrative law 
cases. 
 
Other Activities: 
--Patron of the New Zealand Refugee Council. 
--Director of the International Association of Women Judges 
from 1994*2005. 
--Member of the board of the New Zealand Institute of 
Judicial Studies since 1999. 
--Foundation Chairperson from 1988 to 1991 of the New Zealand 
Immigration Advisory Panel which heard applications for 
residence on humanitarian grounds and advised the Minister of 
Immigration. In that role established policies and procedures 
for the conduct of the Panel. 
--Served for 10 years on the faculty of an international 
litigation skills programme training law officers from the 
Pacific including Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, 
Tonga, Solomon Islands, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, Kiribati, 
Niue, Cook Islands, Samoa, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. 
This programme is an initiative of NZ Aid and the New Zealand 
Law Society and is conducted at the University of the South 
Pacific. 
--Organiser of the New Zealand Judicial Orientation programme 
for all new judges teaching court craft, judgment writing, 
sentencing, cultural diversity, and communication skills. 
This was also attended by judges from Australia, Papua New 
Guinea and other Pacific nations. 
--Trained lay community magistrates to conduct low level 
criminal hearings in the District Court. 
--In 1965 served for a year as a volunteer teacher under 
Volunteer Service Abroad in the Solomon Islands. 
 
Languages: English (first language), working knowledge of 
Maori and some knowledge of French. 
KEEGAN