Lobbyists snare Creech, Sutton as consultants

Public law and policy lobbyists Chen Palmer have appointed former Cabinet ministers Jim Sutton and Wyatt Creech as consultants in an attempt to boost its political reach.

The appointments would secure the firm's position as New Zealand's only specialist public law firm, said Chen Palmer partner Mai Chen.

Both men were respected by their parliamentary colleagues across the political spectrum and were "highly accomplished politicians with strong business backgrounds and reputations for problem-solving".

Former National Government Deputy Prime Minister Creech held several ministerial portfolios including Revenue, Health, State Owned Enterprises, Education, Employment and Finance (associate).

Few politicians could match Creech's depth and breadth of ministerial experience, said Chen.

Former Labour Government Trade Negotiations Minister Sutton also held Agriculture, Forestry, Rural Affairs and Biosecurity portfolios during his more than 20-year parliamentary career.

Sutton, now a roving trade ambassador, played a significant role both in kicking off the Doha round of world trade negotiations in 2001 and reviving them in Geneva in 2004.

As such he had been "one of the highest-achieving Ministers of Trade Negotiations in New Zealand's history".

Sutton and Creech's attributes and experience would be "invaluable" to Chen Palmer's clients in the firm's work "right across the board in public law problem solving" including regulation, legislation and policy.