Newly appointed Māori Land Court Judge Nathan Milner with his colleagues. Front row: Judge Wilson Isaac, Judge Stephanie Milroy, Justice Sir Joseph Williams, Chief Judge Caren Fox, Judge Milner, Deputy Chief Judge Craig Coxhead, Justice Kiri Tahana, Judge Carrie Wainwright and Judge Sarah Reeves. Back: Judge Miharo Armstrong, Judge Damian Stone, Judge Michael Doogan, Judge Rachel Mullins, Judge Alana Thomas and Judge Aidan Warren.
Newly appointed Māori Land Court Judge Nathan Milner with his colleagues. Front row: Judge Wilson Isaac, Judge Stephanie Milroy, Justice Sir Joseph Williams, Chief Judge Caren Fox, Judge Milner, Deputy Chief Judge Craig Coxhead, Justice Kiri Tahana, Judge Carrie Wainwright and Judge Sarah Reeves. Back: Judge Miharo Armstrong, Judge Damian Stone, Judge Michael Doogan, Judge Rachel Mullins, Judge Alana Thomas and Judge Aidan Warren.
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Whānau, colleagues and iwi representatives gathered at Te Poho-o-Rāwiri Marae on Tuesday to witness the swearing-in of Nathan Milner as a Māori Land Court (MLC) judge.
Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka announced the appointment on June 7. Judge Milner becomes the 120th MLC judge.
Judge Milner (Ngāti Porou, Ngāi Tahu) said he was humbled to witness all the people who attended the ceremony and thanked his former colleagues for their work over the years.
“I’m very proud to have been appointed to the role, given the quality of the people like Justice Joe Williams and Chief Judge Caren Fox, Judge Wilson Isaac and others who have served on the court and served in the Tairāwhiti District.”
Prior to his appointment, Judge Milner was a solicitor, senior associate and special counsel at Kāhui Legal.
He attended Kaiti School, Ilminster Intermediate and Gisborne Boys’ High School before graduating from Victoria University with an LLB and BA in Māori and Political Science and International Relations and BA Hons (First Class) in Political Science and International Relations.
In his new role, Judge Milner will hear matters before that court as well as the Waitangi Tribunal on which all MLC judges sit as presiding officers.
Judge Nathan Milner is honoured to be the 120th judge of the Māori Land Court.
Judge Milner has appeared regularly before the court and Tribunal, representing landowners and claimant groups in both jurisdictions, alongside his work in treaty settlement negotiations and in resource management, intellectual property and marine and coastal area cases.
Earlier in his career, he worked as a research counsel for the MLC and as assistant registrar for the Tribunal.
At Tuesday’s swearing-in, MLC Chief Judge Caren Fox told Judge Milner that a lot of his work would be connected with the region’s recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle.
“You care about this district because you are from here,” Judge Fox said.
Judge Milner requested that Tairāwhiti Māori leader Walton Walker, business leader and lawyer Matanuku Mahuika and Kāhui Legal’s Paranihia Walker speak at the appointment ceremony.
Walton Walker said: “Nathan’s appointment culminates a career of long service in the law of almost 30 years as a lawyer and solicitor and I have against many other things that goes along with that role as well”.
Mahuika said: “You leave behind an enormous legacy for us and for your people, for your iwi, for your hapū, who have been the beneficiaries of all of your efforts over such a long period of time”.
Paranihia Walker said: “One of the most important things about Nathan is that he has been an outstanding tuakana and mentor to many of our young staff members. He has often helped out whenever he could”.
Judge Milner ended the special court sitting by expressing his thanks to everyone and committing himself to helping the people of Tairāwhiti.
“The ongoing recovery from those severe weather events are only going to continue for us.
